w 


I 


THE    AUTHOR. 


HISTORY 


OF- 


FORT   FAIRFIELD 


-AND 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES, 


WITH- 


ILLUSTRATIONS, 


BY 


C.  II.  ELLIS. 


FORI  FAIRFIELD,  MAINE, 

folt  p.URFlRkP  PRINTING  CO, 


IOM 


/ 


Copyrighted  by 

C.  II.  ELLIS. 

1894. 


f  1  £S5 


PREFACE. 


We  have  endeavored  in  this  historv  to  give  the 
facts,  covering  an  early  period,  for  which  we  have 
depended  almost  entirely  upon  verbal  accounts 
given  by  the  first  settlers.  To  the  largest  possible 
amount  of  such  information  carefullv  compared 
and  made  reconcilable  with  itself,  we  have  always 
given  preference  to  written  accounts,  whether  of 
personal  or  public  interest.  And  so  far  as  public 
records  have  covered  the  ground,  this  historv  will 
be  found  in  perfect  accord  with  them. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


M273894 


INTRODUCTION. 


Upon  my  return  from  the  West,  after  an  absence 
of  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  I  found  many 
of  the  old  landmarks  removed,  and  matters  of  in- 
terest which  had  come  under  my  personal  observa- 
tion radically  changed,  or  entirely  left  out  of  the 
unwritten  history  of  Aroostook.  With  the  fact  be- 
fore me,  that  very  soon  important  events,  without 
which  a  history  of  our  town  would  be  both  un- 
satisfactory and  incomplete,  would  be  beyond  the 
reach  of  the  historian,  I  commenced  preparing  a 
series  of  articles  for  the  Northern  Leader,  under 
the  title  of  "The  History  of  Fort  Fairfield," 
with  the  intention  of  subsequently  publishing  them 
in  book  form. 

That  portion  of  the  history  prior  to  1843  has  been 
compiled  from  the  most  reliable  unwritten  authori- 
ties obtainable,  together  with  so  much  written  re- 
cord as  could  be  obtained;  from  1843  to  i860  by 
personal  observation,  and  so  much  written  infor- 
mation as  was  obtainable  from  private  and  official 
records;  trom  i860  to  the  present  date,  only,  have 
we  been  able  to  depend  upon  official  records. 

C.  H.  ELLIS, 
Fort  Fairfield,  [armary,  [894. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

LOCATIONi 

Peace  of  1783.  Northeastern  Boundary.  Survey 
by  Holland.     Early  Settlement.     Massachusetts 

Claim.  District  of  Maine.  Plymouth  Grant. 
Grants  by  English  Crown  to  Settlers.  Charac- 
ter of  Early  Settlers. 

CHAPTER    II. 

DISPUTED     TERRITORY. 

Massachusetts  had  taken  Possession.  Feelings  of 
Hostility  Growing  out  of  two  Wars.  Danger  of 
Bloodshed.  Stopping  the  Trespassing.  Build- 
ing the  Boom.  Disbanding  the  Militia.  The 
Volunteers. 

CHAPTER   111. 

PERMANENT    POSSESSION. 

State  Militia.  The  Volunteer  Force.  Building 
Fortifications.  Placing  Obstructions  in  the 
River.  Constructing  Roads.  Deciding  to  Re- 
main and  Make  Homes.  Sending  out  Good  Re- 
ports  to  their  Old  Homes. 


HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

PIONEER    LIFE. 

Sacrifices  to  be  Made.  Pilgrim  Fathers.  Aroos- 
took Pioneers.  First  American  Settlers  Without 
Experience  in  Pioneer  Life.  Great  Privations. 
Without  Proper  Assistance  in  Sickness.  Their 
Names  to  be  Honored. 

CHAPTER  V. 

ORIGINAL     TITLE. 

In  Massachusetts.  District  of  Maine.  Division  in 
1 819.  Plymouth  Grant.  Letter  D.  Letter  D 
Plantation.  Deed  of  Massachusetts  to  Plymouth, 
Turner  and  Holland.  Deeds  from  Maine  to  Set- 
tlers in  Letter  D. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

INCIDENTS    OF    THE    WAR. 

The  Drafted  Militia  Men.  The  First  Trespassers 
Seen.  First  Camping  Ground.  Mr.  Johnston 
Sends  to  Tobique,  N.  B.,  to  Mill.  The  Capture 
of  the  Land  Agent.  Great  Excitement  in  New- 
Brunswick.  The  United  States  and  Great  Brit- 
ain.    Accidental  Shooting  of  Nathan  Johnston. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

AROOSTOOK   WAR    IN    HISTORY. 

A  Serious  and  Perplexing  Question.  Patriotic  De- 
votion to  Country  and  Fk  g.  Great  Distance 
from  the  Settled  Part  of  the  State.  An  Unbro- 
ken Wilderness,  The  Awstook  Veterans  l)c> 
liem  Well  from  |h«  S\\u\ 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

CAPTAINS  OF   THE  WAR. 

Capt.  Rines.  Capt.  Parrott.  Capt.  Towle.  Capt. 
Wing.  Capt.  VanNess.  Maj.  General  Ricketts. 
Page  68. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

A    PIONEER    SETTLEMENT. 

Freeman  Ellis.  Dea.  Fowler.  Stevens.  Powers. 
Haines.     The  First  Post  Office.     Page  76. 

CHAPTER  X. 

OUR  PIONEER     MOTHERS. 

Our  Pilgrim  Mothers.  The  Peculiar  Privations 
and  Hardships  of  our  Aroostook  Mothers.  A 
Tribute  to  these  Noble  Women.     Page  83. 

CHAPTER  XL 

TOPOGRAPHY  AND  SOIL. 

The  High  Lands.  The  River  Valley.  The  Soil. 
Professor  Warrings.     Water  Supply.     Page  88. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

HARDSHIPS  AND  PRIVATIONS. 

The  Record  Men  Make.  Condition  of  the  Country. 
Discriptive  Hardships.  A  Scanty  Breakfast. 
"If  the  House  is  full  of  Provision.''  A  Boys 
Experience.     Page  95. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

LOOKING    BACKWARD. 

The  Journey  to  the  Aroostook.  As  We  Found  it 
in  1843.  First  effort  at  Hard  Work.  They  Built 
Better  Than  They  Knew.     Page  100. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

LETTER  D    PLANTATION. 

Representation  Without  Taxation.  Going  to 
Houlton  to  Vote.  Organization  of  Letter  D 
Plantation.     Effect  of  the  Election.     Page   107. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

PLANTATION  MEETINGS. 

An  Early  Election.  Part)'  Line  Strictly  Drawn. 
The  Good  Effects  of  the  Elections.  The  Ac- 
tive  Workers.     General  Discussion.     Page  114. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

A  MOOSE  HUNT. 

Party  Organized.  Without  Experience.  The 
Moose  Yard.  The  Moose.  The  First  Shot. 
A  Dead  Moose.  The  Second  Days  Hint.  Page 
117. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

INTERESTING     FACTS. 

Aroostook  Prices.  Love  of  Country.  The  First 
Justice  of  the  Peace.  Mails  and  Pest  Office. 
First  Mail.  First  House.  First  Minister. 
First  Church  Organization.     Page  125. 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  FORT  IN     1 843. 

Deep  Snow.  The  Public  House.  A  Large 
Company.  The  Only  Store.  List  of  Inhabi- 
tants.    Page  135. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

WRITTEN  RECORD. 

Board  of  Officers.  A  Collector  Without  Taxes  to 
Collect.     Page  129. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

RECORD CONTINUED. 

Town  Organization.  Population  of  the  New- 
Town.  Sarsefielcl  Plantation.  The  Bridge. 
The  Schools.     Page  140. 

CHAPTER    XXI. 

WRITTEN  HISTORY CONTINUED. 

Selectmen  in  1870.  Total  Valuation.  Soldiers 
Funds.  Selectmen  in  1875.  Assessments  in 
in  1875.  Railroad  Bonds.  Population  in  1880. 
Population  in  1890.     Page  146. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

ACTS  OF    INCORPORATION. 

Annexation  of  Sarsefielcl.  Bridge  Appropriation. 
Page  155. 

,  CHAPTER    XXIII. 

ENTERPRISE. 

Looking  After  a  Local  Newspaper.  Rev.  Daniel 
Stickney.  The  Aurora.  The  Aroostook  Valley 
Sunrise.  The  Railroad.  The  First  Train.  The 
Formal  Opening.  Page  163. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  POTATO  INDUSTRY. 

First  Starch  Factory.  Yankee  Enterprise.  The 
Maple  Grove  Starch  Factory.  Effects  of  the  In- 
dustry. Page  170. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD. 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

PAST,  PRESENT  AND     FUTURE. 

Survey    of    the   Past.  The   Dispute.  Com  pan}-    of 
Troops.  English    Settlement.  Character    of  the 
Settlers.  A  Bright  Future.   Page  17^. 
CHAPTER    XXVI. 

FORT    FAIRFIELD  IN  THE    WAR. 

Political  Leaders.  Prompt  to  Act.   Soldiers.    Regi- 
ments. A  Just  Tribute.   Page  186. 
CHAPTER  XXVII. 

FIFTEENTH   MAINE    REGIMENT. 

An  Aroostook  Regiment.  The  Officers.     At  New 
Orleans.     In     Florida.      On     the     Rio     Grande. 
Matagorda    Island.   Red   River.   Page  195. 
CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THIRTY-FIRST  MAINE  REGIMENT. 

Capt.  C.  H.  Ellis.      Lieut.    II.   O.  Perry.     Spott- 
sylvania.    North  Anna.     Ellis  Wounded.    Great 
Loss  in  Killed  and  Wounded.      Page  207. 
CHAPTER  XXIX. 

BUILDING    MILLS. 

State  Aid.     First  Mill.     Starch  Factory.    Page  214. 
CHAPTER  XXX. 

SCHOOLS    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

First   School    House.       List    of    Teachers.       Free 
High  School.     Page  229. 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

SCHOOLS CONTINUED. 

Free  High  Scho;l  in  1877.      Hon.   N.   Fessenden 
Supervisor.      Present  High  School.      Page  239. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

CHURCHES. 
THE    CONGREGATIONAL    CHURCH. 

First  Members.    The  Council.  Union  House.    First 
Church.  New  Church.  Rev.Mr.Hescock.  Page248 

THE    METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

First  in  the  Field.     Present  Pastor.     Page  259. 
CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

Bishop  Neely.      Mr.  Washburn.      Church  Organ- 
ization.    Present  Missionary  Priest.     Page  266. 
CHAPTER  XXXV. 

FREE    BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

Organization.     Pastors.      Present  Officers.     Pres- 
ent Pastor.     Page  268. 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

REGULAR    BAPTIST. 

Brief  History.     Deacon  Foster.     Page  270. 
CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

THE    SOCIETY    OF    FRIENDS. 

Organization.     History.     Page  276. 
CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH. 

First  Church  Built.     History.     Page  279. 
CHAPTER  XXXIX. 
business  men. — Page  289. 


I  STORY    OE    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTERS  XL.  XLI,  XLII. 

PROFESSIONAL   MEN.        Pages    298,    7,12,  319. 

CHAPTER  XLIII. 

societies.     Page  325. 

CHAPTER   XLIY. 

DEACON    HIRAM    STEVENS. 

Stevens   Lumber  Company.       Page  334. 
CHAPTER  XLV. 

BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 
Capt.  Pattee,  335.  Hon.  Jesse  Drew,  337.  Haines 
Family,  341.  Wm.  Johnston,  246.  Gen.  Mark 
Traiton,  348.  Daniel  Libbv,  Esq.,  350.  Amos 
Libby,  351.  Parsons  Family.  3^2.  Capt.  E.  W. 
Waite,  358.  A.  S.  Richards.  359.  Rev.  B.  D. 
Eastman,  360.  Otis  Eastman,  S.  E.  Phipps,  361. 
J.  S.  Averill,  ^62.  Addison  Powers,  363.  Ellis 
Family,  364.  C.  H.  Ellis,  366.  A.  P.  Welling- 
ton, L.  V.  Towle,  368.  j.  R.  Thurlough,  R. 
Powers,  369.  W.  Houghton,  W.  E.  Parsons, 
370.  Rollins  Family,  375,  Flannery  Family, 
B.  F.  Du'rgin,  376.  J.  Nichols.  Washington  Long, 
377.  John  Dorsev,  Charles  R.  Paul,  Mrs.  A.  C. 
Paul,  Joseph  Findland,  378.  S.  W.  Cram,  Jos, 
Conant,  379.  G.  W.  Hilton.  L.  K.  Cary,  Dea. 
Daniel  Foster,  380.  J.  B.  Robbins,  G.  E.  Cald- 
well, 381.  Capt.  Putnam,  R.  L,  Baker,  Cum- 
mings,  Slocomb,  Osborne.  Collins,  Bishop,  Sterl- 
ing, Richardson,  Gordon,  Spooner,  Orcutt,  Fish- 
er, 382. 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


The  Author, 

Fort  Fairrielcl  in  1843, 

The  Upper  Block  House, 

The  Collins  House, 

The  High  School  Building, 

The  Windsor  Hotel, 

Hopkins  Brothers'  Building, 

Joseph  Pearce's  Block, 

Street  View,  Goodhue's  Block, 

Aroostook  Valley  Starch  Factory, 

E.  L.  Houghton's  Potato  Harvest, 

Street  View  from  Leader  Office, 

Foss'  Potato  House,  Street  View, 

Interior  Goodhue's  Jewelry  Store, 

J.  B.  Williams'  Block, 

Cutts  and  Scates'  Block, 

William  Small  and  Co.'s  Store, 

The  Congregational  Church, 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 


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HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


The  Northern  Leader  Office, 
Mr.  L.  K.  Cary's  Residence, 
Mr.  E.  E.  Scates'  Residence, 
Mr.  E.  L.  Houghton's  Residence, 
Hon.  W.  E.  Parsons'  Residence-, 
Mr.  C.  C.  Rogers'  Building, 
Mr.  Geo.  L.  Foss  and  Fearless, 
Mr.  Almon  S.  Richards, 
Dea.  Hiram  Stevens, 
Hon.  Henry  O.  Perry, 
Hon.  W.  E.  Parsons, 
Mr.  Henry  A.  Haines, 
Mr.  R>  L.  Baker, 
Mr.  Joseph  Conant, 
Hopkins  Bro.'s  Barn. 


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HISTORY   OF 

FORT  FAIRFIELD 


CHAPTER    I. 

LOCATION, 

In  1783  peace  was  declared  between  Great  Brit- 
ain and  the  thirteen  united  colonies,  and  the  United 
States  became  a  nation. 

The  St.  Croix  river  became  a  part  of  its  eastern 
boundary.  At  its  headwaters  a  monument  was 
erected  under  the  treaty  of  1794,  and  the  boundary 
line  was  to  run  due  north  to  the  highlands;  but 
whether  to  the  highlands  between  the  waters  of  the 
St.  Lawrence  and  the  waters  that  run  south,  or  be- 
tween the  waters  of  the  St.-  John  and  Penobscot 
rivers,  subsequently  became  a  question  for  dispute. 

By  the  terms  of  this  treaty  a  territory  nearly  as 
large  as  the  live  New  England  states,  and  tying 
east  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire  and  known  as 
the  District  of  Maine,  was  organized  as  a  part  of 
the  State  of  Massachusetts. 


26  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

1» 

The  first  legislation  that  materially  affected  the 

interests  of  this  territory  was  the  action  of  the 
Massachusetts  General  Court,  by  which  large  grants 
of  land  were  made,  to  aid  loeal  enterprises.  Among 
these  was  a  grant  to  the  town  of  Plymouth  of  thir- 
ty-six square  miles.  This  grant  was  run  out  by 
Park  Holland,  a  State  surveyor,  in  1806,  who  was 
ordered  to  proceed  to  the  monument  ■  upon  the 
headwaters  of  the  St.  Croix  river,  and  to  run  due 
north  fifty  miles,  and  then  survey  a  township  of 
land  six  miles  square,  which  was  to  be  given  to  the 
town  of  Ply  mo  ith  to  ii  •  i  .  T  il  ~:  .  break w£ter 
to  protect  their  harbor.  Soon  after  establishing  the 
southeast  corner  of  the  township,  Mr.  Holland  dis- 
covered (  if  he  was  not  the  first  discoverer  )  the 
Aroostook  river,  and  in  running  out  this  township 
he  crossed  the  river  four  times. 

We  are  unable,  with  any  degree  of  reliability,  to 
fix  the  date  of  the  first  settlement  in  the  present 
town  of  Fort  Fairfield. 

Michael  Russel  was  undoubtedly  the  first  to  lo- 
cate. His  settlement  was  upon  the  south  side  of 
the  Aroostook  river,  a  short  distance  this  side  of 
the  boundary  line,  and  within  the  limits  of  Hol- 
land's survey  of  Plymouth  Grant. 

James  FitzHerbert  is  given  the  credit  of  being 
the  next  settler.  He  located  at  the  mouth  of  the 
brook,  known  on  Sawyer's  survey  of  Letter  D, 
Range  1,  as  FitzHerbert's  brook,    The  next,  on 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  27 

the  same  side  of  the  river,  was  John  Dorsey,  and 
the  next  Benjamin  Weeks,  who  located  at  the 
mouth  of  what  is  known  by  the  above-named  sur- 
vey, as  Johnston's  Brook.  We  know  of  no  reason 
for  giving  their  location  in  the  order  named,  except 
it  would  be  natural  to  take  the  first  vacant  land 
when  one  was  so  far  from  civilization.  These  set- 
tlers, together  with  others  farther  up  the  river,  were 
here  early  in  the  twenties,  if  not  before  1820.  Be- 
fore 1830,  Benjamin  McLaughlin  J.  William 
White,  Samuel  Davenport,  William  Lovely,  Alex- 
ander McDougald,  Peter  Fowler,  Margaret  Doyle, 
John  Twaddle  and  William  Turner  had  all  set- 
tled along  the  river  banks,  and  very  soon  after 
Anthony  Kean,  Daniel  Turner,  Thomas  Suther- 
land, David  Burtsell,  J.  W-  White,  Charles  Wal- 
ton, William  Bishop,  Amos  Bishop,  Daniel 
Bishop,  Daniel  McLaughlin,  Martin  Murray, 
Thomas  Whittaker,  Robert  Whittaker,  Thomas 
Rogers  and  James  Rogers.  Before  1840,  Thomas 
Amsdcn,  James  Campbell,  James  Guiggey,  Justis 
Gray,  Joseph  Davenport,  Richard  McCarty,  Thos. 
Gibner,  Thomas  Boulicr,  Job  Everett,  John  Lovely, 
Patrick  Finland,  David  Buber,  Charles  Buber, 
William  Iloulton  and  William  Upton,  had  all 
made  settlements  upon  the  banks  of  the  river,  with- 
in what  is  now  the  town  of  Fort  Fairfield.  Ben- 
jamin Weeks  had  erected  a  larger  and  more  sub- 
stantial house  upon  the  beautiful  site  now  occupied 


2S  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


by  Mr.  Thomas  A.  Fisher's  line  residence.  In  that 
year  he  exchanged  his  property  with  William  John- 
ston for  a  farm  at  the  head  of  the  ^Reach/'  upon 
"which  he  located  in  1834  or  1835. 

At  the  time  Mr.  Johnston  came  to  the  Aroostook, 
his  brother-in-law,  Thomas  Sutherland,  was  loca- 
ted near  the  mouth  of  Lovely  brook,  as  known  by 
the  survey  already  referred  to,  and  their  family  re- 
lations had  much  to  do  with  the  spotted  line  and 
removal  of  the  underbrush  to  the  head  of  the 
Reach,  that  afterwards  became  a  regular  portage, 
and  shortening  the  distance  many  miles  from  the 
river  line.  His  brother,  Lewis  Johnston,  was  then 
living  upon  the  north  side  of  the  river,  nearly  op- 
posite the  mouth  of  the  Presque  Isle  stream. 

Up  to  1838  the  principal  business  open  to  the 
settlers  and  depended  upon  by  them  for  a  living, 
wras  cutting  the  pine  trees  and  manufacturing  them 
into  square  timber  and  Moating  them  down  the  riv- 
er to  Frederickton  and  St.  John,  from  whence  they 
were  shipped  to  England  to  supply  their  lumber 
market. 

In  1820  Maine  becania  an  independent  state,  and 
the  question  of  her  northeastern  boundary  began  to 
be  agitated.  As  the  fact  became  generally  known 
that  lumber  was  being  taken  from  her  public  lands 
and  being  shipped  to  a  foreign  market,  dissatisfac- 
tion increased,  until  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities 
in  1839.  * 


HISTORY   OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD.  29 


This,  for  a  time,  checked  their  business,  but  as 
they  were  nearly  all  dependent  upon  it  for  the 
support  of  their  families,  they  succeeded  in  evading 
the  boom  that  had  been  placed  across  the  river,  and 
the  agents  sent  to  watch  over  and  prevent  trespass- 
ing. 

These  early  settlers  nearly  all  came  from  homes 
on  the  St.  John  river  and  recognized  no  authority 
except  that  derived  from  the  English  crown. 
Some  of  them  held  their  land  by  patents  derived 
from  that  authority,  while  others  were  located  and 
claimed  their  rights  under  the  since  popular,  but  to 
them,  unknown  doctrine  of  squatter  sovereignty. 

Such  was  the  situation  and  condition,  when,  in 
1838,  Governor  Fairfield  sent  an  agent  to  look  over 
the  situation  and  report  as  to  the  lumber  operations 
that  were  being  carried  on  by  Provincial  lumber- 
men. And  the  conditions  remained  unchanged, 
when,  in  February,  1839,  Land-Agent  Mclntyre 
with  his  posse  of  Maine  militia-men,  arrived  upon 
the  scene.  At  that  time  the  only  travelled  roads 
in  Aroostook  county  were  a  road  from  Patten  to 
Masardis,  the  military  road  from  Mattawamkeag  to 
Iloulton,  and  a  road  as  far  north  as  Monticello. 
Roads  had  also  been  cut  among  the  trees,  through 
which  a  sled  could  be  hauled  from  the  St.  John 
river  to  FitzHerbert's  brook,  and  from  the  mouth 
of  Lovely  brook  to  the  head  of  the  Reach.  The 
one,  to  escape  the  Aroostook  falls  and  rapids,  and 


30  HISTORY    OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD. 


the  other  to  shorten  the  distance  of  the  great  bend 
in  the  river. 

So  far  as  business  or  social  relations  were  con- 
cerned, these  people  were  as  completely  isolated 
from  all  parts  of  our  State,  as  any  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  northeastern  part  of  our  sister  Pro- 
vince. And  not  until  the  posse  and  troops  had 
been  followed  by  actual  settlers,  a  id  hcjmes  had 
been  made  and  social  relations  formed,  was  it 
possible  for  the  prejudice,  that  the  policy  toward 
their  trespass  upon  the  lumber  had  caused,  to 
be  removed. 

The  coming  of  the  posse  and  the  United  States 
troops,  and  the  policy  adopted  in  regard  to  tres- 
pass timber,  created  a  prejudice  that  required  the 
coming  of  actual  settlers,  the  making  of  homes, 
the  forming  of  social  relations,  and  intermarriage 
to  wholly  remove.  The  promptness  with  which 
their  descendants  responded  to  "Father  Abraham's" 
call  for  "300,000  more"  obliterated  the  last  parti- 
cle of  prejudice,  and  united  this  young  and  strug- 
gling community  in  social  and  loyal  mass,  with 
one  country  and  one  flag. 

While  Massachusetts  had  asserted  her  rights  to 
the  northeastern  territory,  by  making  a  survey  and 
granting  lands  north  and  west  of  the  monument 
at  the  headwaters  of  the  St.  Croix  river,  the 
language  of  the  treaty  of  1794  and  the  interpre- 
tation  given     it    by    parties     occupying    different 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  3 1 


standpoints,  had  given   rise  to  considerable  feeling 

between  the  inhabitants  of  Maine  and  those  of 
the  province  of  New  Brunswick.  In  fact  it  was 
difficult  to  reconcile  the  wording  of  the  treaty 
with  existing  conditions. 

And  when  we  come  to  consider  the  embittered 
feelings  that  would  naturally  grow  out  of  two 
wars,  we  shall  not  be  surprised  at  the  readiness 
that  existed  to  resist  the  first  act  of  aggression. 

It  was  enough  for  the  inhabitants  of  Maine  to 
knew  that  the  pine  timber  was  being  cut  from  the 
public  lands  and  rundown  the  river  to  the  English 
market. 

The  question  as  to  who  was  doing  it,  was  not 
taken  into  consideration.  The  fact  alone  that  the 
Provincial  gDvernm^nt  could  directly  or  indirect- 
ly be  made  a  party  to  the  transaction  was  enough 
to  call  for  armed  resistance. 

As  soon  as  the  fact  became  fully  established, 
that  lumbering  operations  were  being  carried  for- 
ward, the  entire  inhabitance  of  the  State  were 
aroused  to  open  resistance. 

A  draft  was  made  upon  the  State  militia  and  the 
drafted  men  were  promptly  sent  to  arrest  the 
trespassers  and  take  possession  of  the  disputed 
territory  in  the  name  of  the  State. 

This  action  as  a  matter  of  course  aroused  the 
people  in  New  Brunswick,  and  the  sentiment  be- 
came general,  that  force  should  be  met  with  force. 


%2  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


The  land  agent,  who  was  anions  the  first  upon 
the  ground,  was  arrested  and  taken  to  Frederick- 
ton.  The  militia  men  fell  back  as  far  as  Masar- 
dis. 

The  State  sent  forward  additional  men,  and  a 
stand  was  made  upon  the  bank  of  the  Aroostook 
river  some  six  miles  from  a  provineial  settlement 
upon  tlje  St.  John  river. 

Active  preparations  were  made  to  stop  the 
cutting  and  hauling  of  the  timber,  and  to  prevent 
that  already  cut  from  being  taken   to.  market. 

Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  last  of  the  drafted 
men,  an  order  was  received  to  muster  out  the  en- 
tire force,  and  enlist  volunteers,  who  in  addition  to 
bearing  arms,  shonld  engage  in  such  manual  labor 
as  the -State  required  of  them. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  this  military  force  in  the 
winter  of  1839,  the)'  found  active  lumbering  oper- 
ations going  on  along  the  banks  of  the  Aroostook 
river  for  several  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the 
Presque  Isle,  and  from  the  townships  of  letter  C. 
(Easton)  and  Mars  Hill,  pine  timber  was  hauled 
to  the  St.  John  river  in  New  Brunswick. 

The  work  of  building  a  boom  across  the  Aroos- 
took river  was  commenced,  and  scouting  parties 
were  sent  out  to  arrest  trespassers  and  conilseate 
their  teams  and  supplies. 

The  position  occupied  by  these  soldiers  was  of 
a  most   embarassin£  nature.     Their    mission  here,, 


THE  UPPER  BLOCKHOUSE. 


THE  COLLINS  HOUSE. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  11 


was  to  break  up  the  business  of  these  settlers,  and 
by  so  doing  to  destroy  their  living.  While  it  was 
neither  expeeted  nor  desirable  to  drive  them  from 
their  homes,  their  presence  was  a  constant  menace. 
Their  ability  to  give  information  to  our  enemies, 
and  the  almost  positive  assurance  that  their  sym- 
pathy would  lead  them  to  do  so,  together  with  the 
possibility  that  a  large  armed  force  was  near  at 
hand,  kept  up  a  constant  unrest  on  the  part  of  the 
soldiery.  To-day  it  ean  only  be  looked  upon  as 
a  mystery,  that  under  sueh  eireumstanees,  actual 
hostilities  did  not  lead  to  bloodshed  along  the 
entire  border. 

The  drafted  men  consisted  of  two  distinct 
elasses.  One,  and  the  larger  elass,  home  cares 
and  responsibilities  made  their  soldier  life  most 
distasteful,  and  it  was  a  happy  day  when  the  order 
came  for  their  discharge.  The  other  elass  of 
active,  enterprising,  fearless  young  men  were  only 
too  glad  to  exchange  their  present  position  for 
more  work  and  better  pay  in  the   volunteer  sen  ice. 

Of  the  second  elass  there  was  all  and  more  than 
the  state  required  to  carry  forward  the  work  to  a 
successful  termination,  5 


34  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  III. 

PERMANENT    POSSESSION. 

The  organization  of  a  military  working  force 
was  the  carrying  out  of  the  plan  to  hold  possession 
of  the  disputed  territory.  As  soon  as  fortifications 
were  established,  and  formal  possession  taken  in 
the  name  of  the  State,  the  volunteer  forces  were 
employed  in  constructing  a  road  through  the  wil- 
derness to  connect  them  with  the  United  States 
forces,  stationed  at  Hancock  barracks,  in  Houlton. 

The  township  lying  south  of  the  one  in  which  the 
fortifications  were  erected,  belonged  to  Massachu- 
setts, and  for  the  double  purpose  of  passing  over 
land  owned  by  the  State  and  keeping  as  far  as  pos- 
sible from  the  St.  John  river,  from  which  point 
annoying  forces  could  be  sent  out,  the  road  was 
laid  out  in  a  south  of  west  direction  to  Presque  Isle, 
and  from  there  to  Monticello  and  Houlton. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD.  35 

This  road  through  its  entire  distance  passed  over 
valuable  settling  lands,  covered  with  a  heavy 
growth  of  timber,  with  a  rich,  alluvial  soil,  upon 
which  the  vegetable  mould  of  ages  had  supplied  a 
vast  amount  of  plant  food.  The  great  contrast  be- 
tween this  and  the  rocky,  sterile  and  gravelly  land 
of  the  southern  portion  of  the  State  was  a  constant 
reminder  to  these  men  of  the  possibilities  of  this 
new  land;  and  as  the  work  of  construction  pro- 
gressed, many  a  choice  piece  of  land  was  selected 
for  a  future  home.  And  these  men,  together  with 
those  who  came  through  their  influence  and  repre- 
sentations, comprised  largely  the  pioneer  settlers 
of  this  and  adjoining  towns. 

In  the  survey  of  Letter  D,  Range  i  (the  south 
half  of  Fort  Fairfield),  the  land  along  this  road 
was  cut  up  into  lots  with  only  eighty  rods  frontage, 
so  as  to  give  the  largest  possible  number  of  settlers 
a  chance  for  location. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  this  was  the  first  located 
and  settled  land  in  the  town,  except  that  bordering 
on  the  Aroostook  river. 

It  may  well  be  claimed  that  the  volunteer  forces 
were  the  actual  pioneers,  and  to  them  more  than 
all  others  is  due  the  credit  of  bringing  to  its  full 
fruition,  the  second  stage  of  improvement — actual 
settlement.  In  1842  all  the  land  in  this  town  along 
the  road  had  been  taken  up,  and  among  these  set- 
tlers were  found  the  names  of  Jonathan  Hopkinson, 


36  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD, 


Daniel  Palmer,  Bcnj.  D.  and  Otis  Eastman, — Brag- 
don,Le\  i  Ilovt,  William,  Orrin  and  E.  P.  Whitney, 
Edward  Johnston,  Chase,  Hunt,  Tucker,  Lyons, 
Iloulton,  Wing,  Pattee,  Waite  and  Richards. 

The  volunteer  ibree  had  been  succeeded  by  a 
company  of  United  States  troops  and  a  building 
(the  same  that  is  now  occupied  by  Dr.  Decker) 
was  erected  for  officers'  quarters,  and  the  foun- 
dation really  laid  for  the  present  village  of  Port 
Fairfield. 

The  Webstcr-Ashburton  treaty  had  been  ratified, 
the  commissioners  appointed  to  run  the  boundary 
line;  and  in  the  summer  of  1843,  the  United  States 
troops  were  withdrawn  and  the  property  placed  in 
charge  of  General  Mark  Trafton,  who  had  been 
appointed   a    custom    house    officer  for  the    place. 

The  boom  which  had  been  placed  in  the  river 
to  hold  trespass  timber,  had  been  sold  to  a  com- 
pany chartered  by  the  British  Parliament  and  re- 
moved to  the  mouth  of  the  Aroostook  in  New 
Brunswick  for  the  peaceful  purpose  of  holding  the 
lumber,  so  that  it  could  be  made  up  into  rafts  be- 
fore it  was  run  down  the  St,  John  river  to  market. 

A  dam  had  been  built  across  the  Fitzhcrbcrt 
brook  and  a  sawmill  erected,  the  firm  of  Pattee 
and  Haywood  formed,  a  store  opened  and  a  house 
built,  and  the  new  enterprise  christened  the  "lower 
village." 

The  young  men  who    had   come   for  war,  began 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  37 

to  engage  in  the  peaceful  enterprise  of  securing 
wives  and  making  homes,  and  of  this  class  the 
names  of  Whitney,  Stevens,  Waite  and  Richards, 
'deserve   a  prominent  position. 

\\  i tli  the  removal  of  the  soldiers  in  the  summer 
of  1843  the  transition  was  complete;  the  war  record 
had  closed  and  the  opening  up  of  the  new  settle- 
ment was  fully  established.  The  land  lotted  out  was 
in  the  hands  of  local  agents  ;  permits  for  cutting 
timber  were  granted  by  the  State  and  stumpage 
collected. 

And  the  reports  sent  out  by  the  settlers  brought 
manv  additions  to  their  number. 


38  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

PIONEER  LIFE. 

From  the  landing  of  our  Pilgrim  Fathers  upon 
the  rock-bound  coast  of  New  England  until  the 
present  time,  the  sturdy,  persevering,  self-sacrific- 
ing pioneer,  whether  seeking  freedom  to  worship 
God,  laying  a  broader  foundation  for  a  might}'  em- 
pire, strengthening  political  freedom,  or  seeking 
a  home  for  self  and  loved  ones,  has  had  privations, 
hardships  and  sufferings  that  make  him  worthy  of 
praise  and  admiration.  And  those  who  laid  the 
foundation  for  our  beautiful,  prosperous  Aroostook 
homes,  deserve  as  a  record  of  their  heroic  deeds  a 
monument  more  enduring  then  the  imperishable 
rocks  of  the  everlasting  hills.  The  heroes  of  1840 
who  started  out  on  a  six  to  ten  days'  journey,  four  of 
which  were  into  an  almost  unbroken  wilderness, 
and  who  pitched  their    camps    a  full    one   hundred 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  39 

and  sixty-seven  miles  from  the  base  of  supplies, 
have  nearly  all  finished  their  work,   and  exchanged 

the  eomforts  and  blessings  of  homes  secured  by 
their  sturdy  toil,  for  the  rest  and  blessings  of  the 
unseen  land.  Among  those  deserving  (if  not  the 
most  deserving)  of  mention  in  this  class,  are  Levi 
Iloyt,  Jonathan  Hopkinson,  William  Whitney, 
Daniel  Palmer,  Benjamin  and  Otis  Eastman,  Henry 
C.  Currier,  E.  P.  Whitney,  Hiram  Stevens,  Free- 
man Ellis,  Jr.,  Edward  S.  Fowler,  Isaac  F.  Ellis, 
Addison  Powers,  and  Leonard  Spooner. 

The  coming  of  these  men  introduced  a  new  ele- 
ment into  the  then  northeast  settlement.  Those 
here  before  them  had  located  upon  the  banks  of  the 
river,  and  were  almost  as  much  at  home  in  the 
swift-gliding  canoe  as  upon  solid  land.  Timber 
was  cut  upon  the  shores;  and  taking  it  to  the  mar- 
ket, and  the  return  home  with  the  fruits  of  their 
toil,  had  relieved  thern  of  much  of  the  toil  and  pri- 
vations that  were  to  be  the  lot  and  experience  of 
those  who  came  from  other  walks  in  life,  and  lo- 
cated away  from  the  river,  in  the  deep,  dense  for- 
est, and  made  homes  and  farms  upon  new  land  from 
which  their  labor  and  toil  cleared  away  the  forest, 
to  raise  the  bread  for  their  young  and  dependent 
families.  The  clearing  of  the  land  was  a  work 
that  is  hard  to  be  understood  from  any  point  of  ob- 
servation attainable  at  the  present  day.  Three  and 
often  four  days'  work  was  required  to  fall  the  trees 


40  HISTORY  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 

upon  a  single  acre,  and  one  day  more  to  "lop  the 
limbs"  off  the  fallen  trees  so  as  to  secure  a  good 
burn.  Trees  cut  down  in  June  and  July  were  ill 
prepared  to  burn  by  the  last  of  August,  or  first  of 
September,  but  if  left  beyond  that  time  there  was 
danger  of  fall  rains,  and  a  loss  of  a  whole  year  be- 
fore  the  land  could  be  prepared  for  crops.  With 
small  choppings,  "only  live  acres  in  an  opening"' 
for  the  uncertain  breezes  of  an  August  or  Septem- 
ber day  to  stir  up  the  lire,  it  was  the  rule  to  get,  if 
not  to  expect,  a  very  poor  burn,  often  no  more  than 
to  burn  the  leaves  and  twigs  and  blacken  the  tim- 
ber, and  I  have  seen  more  than  one  instance  when 
that  was  only  partially  done. 

Then  as  much  more  work  from  these  inexperi- 
enced men  was  taken  to  cut  these  trees  into  suita- 
ble lengths  to  be  hauled  together  iu  "piles"  for 
burning.  Then  three  men  and  a  yoke  of  oxen 
could  be  very  busv  from  earlv  morning  to  late  at 
eve  in  hauling  together,  picking  up  and  getting 
ready  to  burn  the  "heaps."  Then  a  little  waiting 
for  them  to  dry  and  for  the  wind  to  blow,  and  the 
tires  were  set;  then  came  the  stirring  up  and  rolling 
together  of  logs,  the  smoke  and  heat  extending  far 
into  the  night;  then  the  waiting  for  the  tires  to  go 
out,  the  heap  beds  to  get  cold;  then  came  the  haul- 
ing off  of  the  brands,  and  the  land  was  ready  for 
the  seed  and  harrow.  The  ages  of  the  decaying 
leaves  had  formed  a  thick  vegetable  mould  upon 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  43 


the  ground  that  gave  food  to  the  growing  crops,  and 
the  hearts  of  the  honest  toilers  and  their  Families 
were  cheered  by  the  rapidly  growing  crops.  But 
the  vast,  dense  forest  shutting  out  the  heat  and  sun- 
light by  day,  sent  out  a  cold  and  chilling  air  by 
night,  that,  settling  upon  these  small  clearings,  oft- 
en brought  the  sad  experience  of  an  August  frost 
to  blight  their  hopes  of  an  abundant  crop,  and 
doom  them  to  another  year  of  frost-bitten  grain, 
which,  after  passing  through  the  primitive  mills  of 
that  day,  brought  forth  a  production  that  bore  about 
tlie  same  relation  to  the  beautiful  ''Snowflake" 
or  "Qalla  Lilly"  roller  patent  of  to-day,  that  the 
darkest  son  of  Ethiopia  does  to  the  fairest  daughter 
of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race.  And  it  was  not  always 
that  even  such  fare  as  that  could  be  obtained  in  suf- 
ficient quantity.  Money  could  not  always  be  had, 
even  to  pay  the  postage  on  a  long  desired  letter. 
A  well  built  log  house,  plain  clothing  and  simple 
substantial  food,  was  a  most  desirable  if  not  a  sat- 
i s fac tory  condition .. 

While  there  were  hardships,  privations  and  ex- 
posure, often,  to  cold  and  storm,  sickness  was  com- 
paratively unknown,  aside  from  that  incident  to  the 
new-born,  that  held  no  mean  place  in  the  additions 
to  our  increasing  population;  and  then  some  moth- 
erly woman,  with  an  experience  gained  by  force  of 
circumstances, .mounted  upon  a  horse  led  by  somc- 
one,  hntcrn  inland,  along  a  bridle  path  or  spotted 


44  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

line  through  the  wood,  successfully  tilled  the  plaee 
of  an  experienced  M.  D.  With  the  exception  of 
the  United  States  surgeon  who  was  here  with  the 
company  of  United  States  Infantry  and  left  in  July, 
1843,  there  was  no  regular  physician  and  surgeon 
nearer  than  Iloulton,  and  the  roads  were  so  bad  it 
would  have  been  a  remarkable  feat  to  get  a  doctor 
from  there  in  twenty-four  hours.  This  state  of 
things  continued  for  nearly  ten  years,  and  it  was 
not  until  1858  that  a  physician  came  who  received 
sufficient  encouragement  to  remain  and  build  up  a 
practice. 

The  great  distance  to  market,  necessitating  ex- 
pensive transportation,  added  in  a  great  measure 
to  the  otherwise  almost  insurmountable  obstacles 
that  were  to  be  overcome.  But  these  brave  men 
and  women  were  equal  to  the  task.  They  over- 
came every  obstacle,  they  made  for  themselves 
comfortable  homes,  they  built  up  a  system  of 
schools  for  their  children,  that  laid  the  foundation 
for  useful  and  influential  lives.  As  the  falling  of 
the  trees  and  clearing  away  the  forest  let  in  the 
sunlight  and  warmth,  their  industry,  perseverance 
and  integrity  laid  a  moral  and  social  foundation  for 
the  intelligence,  happiness  and  prosperity  of  the 
present. 

Wisely  they  selected,  diligently  they  planted, 
and  broadcast  sowed  upon  a  rich  and  fertile  soil, 
And  while  >ve  gather  from  thsir  imperishable  bar* 


-.♦ 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  4$ 

vest,  it  is  meet  and  right  that  we  remember  their 
noble  work,  and  raise  to  their  memory  monuments 
of  praise. 


46  HISTORY  FORT  FAIRFIELD, 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  ORIGINAL  TITLE. 

The  title  to  all  the  land  in  Fort  Fairfield  came 
originally  from  Massachusetts.  Previous  to  1819 
Maine  was  the  District  of  Maine  and  a  part  of 
Massachusetts. 

June  19th,  ICS19,  the  legislature  of  that  stale 
passed  an  act,  relating  to  the  separation  of  the 
District  of  Maine  from  Massachusetts  proper,  and 
forming  the  same  into  a  separate  and  independent 
state,  when  it  should  be  accepted  by  the  people  of 
Maine.  At  that  time  all  the  public  lands  in  Aroos- 
took count v,  as  well  as  in  other  counties  in  the 
State,  except  such  as  had  been  previously  con- 
veyed or  contracted  for  by  parties  with  Mass- 
achusetts, were  equal Iv  divided  between  the  two 
states.  In  that  division  of  the  land  between 
Massachusetts   and   Maine,    township  D  and  after- 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  47 

wards  Letter  D  Plantation,  and  now  the  southern 
half  of  Fort  Fairfield,  became  the  property  of 
Maine,  and  being  an  excellent  township,  suitable 
Cor  settlement,  was  set  apart  in  accordance  with 
the  laws  of  the  State  to  be  sold  to  actual  settlers. 

The  township  of  Plymouth  having  at  an  earlier 
day  been  granted  to  the  town  of  Plymouth,  Mass- 
achusetts, by  the  legislature,  was  conveyed  in 
1S07  to  that  town  by  deed.  The  following  is  a 
true  copy,  and  will  increase  in  interest  as  the 
years  go  by. 

THE  DEED. 

To  all  people  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come, 
greeting:  Whereas,  the  Legislature  of  the  common- 
wealth of  Massachusetts,  did  grant  to  the  town  of 
Plymouth,  a  township  of  land  In'  a  resolve  bearing 
date  the  fourth  day  of  March,  eighteen  hundred 
and  six. 

Now,  therefore  know  ye,  that  we  whose  names 
arc  undersigned,  and  seals  affixed,  appointed 
Agents  by  the  General  Court  of  Commonwealth 
aforesaid,  by  a  Resolve  passed  the  fifteenth  day  of 
March  eighteen  hundred  and  five;  to  make  and  ex- 
ecute conveyences,  and  by  virtue  of  other  powers 
\csted  in  us  by  the  same  and  other  Resolves;  do 
by  these  presents  in  behalf  of  said  Commonwealth, 
assign,  relinguish,  and  quitclaim  unto  the  town  of 
Plymouth,  to  be  by  them  holden  in  their  corporate 
capacity,  for  the  use  of  said  town,  all  the  right, 
title,  and  interest  of  said  Commonwealth,  in  and 
unto  a  track  of    land  lying  in  the  county  of  Wash- 


4-tt  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


ington,  equal  to  the  contents  of  six  miles  square  as 
the  same  was  surveyed  by  Charles  Turner,  Junior, 
Esquire,  in  the  year  eighteen  hundred  and  seven. 
Bounded  as  follows,  viz.:  Beginning  at  a  beech 
tree  marked  S.  E.  C.  P.  standing  on  the  eastern 
boundary  line  of  the  District  of  Maine,  fifty-five 
miles  north  of  the  source  of  the  Schoodic  Waters, 
and  running  north,  thirteen  degrees  east,  six  miles 
to  a  fir  tree  marked  sixty-one  miles,  thence  run- 
ning west  thirteen  degrees  north,  six  miles  to  a 
stake,  thence  running  south  thirteen  degrees  west, 
six  miles  to  a  maple  tree  marked  S.  W.  C  P., 
thence  running  east  thirteen  degrees  south,  six 
miles  to  the  beech  tree  first  mentioned,  together 
with  all  the  islands  in  those  parts  of  the  Aroostook 
river  which  are  included  within  the  aforesaid 
bounds,  together  with  all  the  privileges  and  ap- 
purtenances, thereto  belonging,  excepting  and  re- 
serving for  the  use  of  Commonwealth,  and  as  a 
common  highway  forever,  the  main  channel  of 
said  river  Aroostook  in  its  course  through  the  said 
township,  containing  twenty-three  thousand  and 
forty  acres,  including  the  river  Aroostook  running 
through  the  same,  as  it  will  more  fully  appear  on 
a  plan  of  said  township,  now  lodged  in  the  office 
of  the  aforesaid  agents. 

To  have  and  to  hold,  the  aforegranted  premises, 
to  the  said  town  of  Plymouth,  or  their  assigns, 
forever,  on  conditions  however  that  the  said 
Grantees,  or  their  assigns,  shall  lav  out  and  con- 
vey to  each  settler,  who  settled  on  said  track  be- 
fore the  first  day  of  January,  seventeen  hundred 
and  eighty-four,  one  hundred  acres  of  land  (in 
case  of  the    settlers   decease  without  assignment. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  49 

then  to  the  heirs,  and  in  case  of  assignment  then 
to  the  assigns),  to  be  laid  out  so  as  best  to  include 
the  improvements  of  the  settler,  and  be  least  in- 
jurious to  the  adjoining  land,  and  that  they  shall 
settle  in  said  tract,  twenty  families  within  six  years, 
including  those  now  settled  thereon,  and  that  they 
shall  lay  out  in  said  township  three  lots  of  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  each,  for  the  following 
uses,  viz. : 

"One  lot  for  the  use  of  the  ministry,  one  for  the 
first  settled  minister,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  and  one 
lot  for  the  use  of  schools  in  said  tract,  the  said  lots 
to  average  in  situation  and  quality  with  the  other 
land  in  said  township,  to  have  and  to  hold  ihe 
aforegranted  premises  to  the  said  town  of  Plymouth 
or  their  assigns,  on  the  conditions  and  reservations 
aforesaid,  forever. 

In  testimony  whereof,  we  hereunto  set  our  hand 

and  seal,  this  nineteenth  day  of  December,  eighteen 

hundred  and  seven. 

John  Read,     f  ] 

<  1    s    * 

Wm.  Smith.     (         '  j 

Signed,  scaled  and  delivered  in  presence  of  us: 

George  W.  Coffin, 

Moses  Greenleaf. 

Suffolk,  ss.  Boston,  19th  Dec,  1807. 

Acknowledged  before  Joseph    May.    Justice    of 

the  Peace.  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts, Land 

Office,  Boston,  12th  Jan.,  1846. 

This  certifies  that  the  foregoing  Deed  is  a  true 

copy  of  the  record  in  this  office,  as  found  in  Book 

No.  3,  Page  273. 

Attest;  George  W.  Coffin, 

Land  Agent  for  Mass, 


c^O  HISTORY    QF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


While  the  deed  sets  forth  that  Charles  Turner, 
Jr.,  made  the  survey,  there  are  well  attested  docu- 
ments showing  that  it  was  made  by  Park  Holland, 
and  it  is  to  be  inferred,  that  while  Mr.  Turner  is  the 
reeognized  authority,  he  deputized  Park  Holland, 
and  that  he  really  did  the  work. 

In  1854  Ebenezer  Hutchinson,  Charles  R.  Whid- 
den  and  Stephen  B.  Pattee  were  appointed  com- 
missioners to  set  off  land  to  settlers  who  were  in 
the  township  at  the  time  of  the  Webster-Ash- 
burton  treaty  in  1842,  the  land  to  include  their  im- 
provements; similar  to  the  aet  of  Congress  to  quiet 
settlers  on  the  publie  land. 

We  are  unable  to  find  any  dates  by  which  we 
can  determine  whether  the  town  of  Plymouth  set- 
tled the  speeial  number  of  settlers  upon  the  town- 
ship or  reserved  and  deeded  the  lots  to  the  minis- 
try and  schools. 

This  township  at  an  early  day  passed  into  the 
hands  of  proprietors  who  appointed  an  agent,  lotted 
the  land,  and  from  them  came  the  title  deeds  to 
settlers. 

In  so  much  of  the  town  as  was  included  in  Let- 
ter D  township,  the  settlers  received  their  titles  di- 
rectly from  the  State. 


HIS  TORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  53 


CHAPTER  VI. 

INCIDENTS    OF    THE    WAR. 

The  first  detachment  of  the  drafted  Maine  mili- 
tia-men having  arrived  at  Masardis,  they  com- 
menced their  march  down  the  Aroostook  river  up- 
on the  ice,  to  more  active  scenes  of  operation.  It 
was  not  until  the)  were  a  few  miles  above  the 
mouth  of  the  Presquc  Isle  stream  that  the  first  tres- 
passers were  discovered,  and  then  not  until  leaving 
the  woods  and  getting  on  to  the  ice,  a  short  dis- 
tance ahead  of  the  troops.  Immediately  a  race 
commenced,  but  nothing  was  gained  until  after  they 
left  the  river  at  William  Johnston's  place  at  the 
head  of  the  Reach.  The  portage  was  rough  and 
crooked  around  among  the  trees,  and  upon  the 
up-hill  grade  the  horses,  wearied  by  the  long 
race  upon  the  river,  could  not  be  urged  beyond 
a  walk.     Therefore  the  soldiers  were  able  to  run 


54  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


on  foot  ahead  of  their  own  teams,  and  soon  over- 
take and  capture  both  of  the  lumber  teams  and  the 
men.  With  these,  the  first  prisoners  of  that  blood- 
less war,  they  returned  to  the  river  and  established 
their  camp  upon  the  north  side  nearly  opposite  Mr. 
Johnston's,  now  known  as  the  Weeks  plaee.  An 
advance  was  soon  made  across  the  portage  to  the 
river,  whieh  brought  them  within  the  present  town 
of  Fort  Fairfield.  James  Fitzherbert  was  able  to 
afford  the  best  shelter  from  the  cold  of  an  Aroos- 
took winter,  and  therefore  his  house  became  a  pop- 
ular stopping  place  for  the  officers. 

At  this  time  Mr.  Johnston  sent  his  sen,  V\  arren 
A.,  to  Tobiquc,  (Andovcr)  to  Tibbett's  mill  with 
a  grist.  While  the  grist  was  being  ground,  boy 
like,  he  decided  to  take  in  the  town,  which  con- 
sisted of  a  it;re  and  tavern  and  a  few  rude  hemes. 
While  doing  so  he  learned  that  a  party  \yzs  I  .dis- 
organized to  go  to  Fitzherbert's  and  captnre  the 
officers.     As  soon  as  his  Grist  was  £r  '  e 

ed  for  home  with  the  intention  of  giving  tl  e  al'artr. 
Some  of  the  organizing  party  suggested  that  sveh 
would  be  the  case,  and  immediately  they  started 
after  hhr.  Warren  was  scon  overtaken  and  told 
that  he  must  return  with  them.  The  hcrsc  was 
taken  from  the  sled  and  put  into  a  stable,  and  the 
party  returned  to  the  tavern  for  another  drink,  arid 
to  perfect  the  organization.  The  boy  watched  the 
ilrst  opportunity  and  took  his  hcrsc  from  the  stilt  1c 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  55 


and  marle  another  start  for  home,  The  organized 
party  overtook  him  just  as  he  gained  the  edge  of 
Fitzherbcrt\s  opening,  and  succeeded  in  surprising 
them,  and  in  capturing  Land  Agent  Mclntyre,  and 
gave  rise  to  the  parody  in  which  the  oft  repoated 

"  'Rim,  Strickland,  run  ;  fire,  Stover,  fire,' 
Wore  the  last  words  of  Mclntyre," 

occurs. 

The  capture  of  Mclntyre  led  to  a  falling  back  of 
the  forces  to  Masardis,  and  Major  Strickland,  it  is 
said,  did  not  stop  until  he  got  to  Bangor. 

The  second  draft  supplied  additional  troops,  and 
the  ground  abandoned  was  re-occupied  amid  con- 
siderable excitement,  and  soon  an  agent  of  the  Pro- 
vincial government  made  his  appearance,  with 
authority  from  Governor  Harvey  to  order  all  par- 
ties from  the  disputed  territory,  only  to  find  him- 
self a  prisoner  and  a  hostage  for  the  safe  return  of 
Land  Agent  Mclntyre.  Governor  Harvey  of  New 
Brunswick  ordered  out  one  thousand  militia,  and 
the  legislature  of  Maine  voted  an  appropriation  of 
$(S,ooo  and  the  drafting  of  ten  thousand  militia. 
Revolutionary  blood  was  up,  and  every  indication 
pointed  to  open  and  sanguinary  hostilities,  when 
another  actor  appeared  upon  the  scene. 

The  national  government  ordered  General  Win- 
field  Scott,  the  hero  of  Lundy's  Lane,  to  proceed 
to  Maine  and  take  command.  With  his  staff,  he 
arrived  at  Augusta,  the  capital  of  the  State,  anil 


C{6  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD- 


took  up  his  quarters  at  the  Augusta  House  on  the 
5th  day  of  March,  1839.  He  had  thirty  thousand 
United  States  troops  at  his  command,  but  he  was 

a  man  of  peace,  and  at  onee  set  himself  to  work  to 
bring  about  a  cessation  of  hostilities.  Governor  Har- 
vey of  New  Brunswick  and  Governor  Fairfield  of 
Maine  were  induced  to  withdraw  their  troops,  ex- 
change prisoners,  and  submit  their  dispute  to  arbi- 
tration. 

While  this  was  possibly  the  only  war  in  which 
not  a  single  battle  was  fought,  it  was  not  altogether 
a  bloodless  one. 

After  the  militia  was  disbanded,  a  company  of 
United  States  Infantry  was  stationed  upon  Fort  Hill, 
occupying  the  blockhouse  erected  by  the  volunteer 
force  after  the  militia  was  disbanded. 

One  morning  after  guard  mounting,  the  relieved 
guards  in  discharging  their  muskets,  shot  a  random 
ball  in  the  direction  of  a  small  clearing,  where  Na- 
than Johnston,  a  brother  of  Mr.  William  Johnston, 
was  at  work  reaping  grain,  and  produced  a  wound 
from  which  he  died  that  day. 

It  was  not  until  the  close  of  Martin  Van  Buren's 
administration,  that  active  negotiations  were  en- 
tered into  to  settle  the  boundary  question.  The  ex- 
citing political  campaign  of  1840,  the  defeating  of 
the  party  that  had  controlled  the  affairs  of  govern- 
ment for  many  years,  the  death  of  General  Harri- 
son  thirty   days   after   his    inauguration,   all   were 


HISTORY   OF    PORT    FAIRFIELD.  57 


against  taking  up  this  question.  But  with  the  in- 
coming of  President  Tyler's  administration,  with 
Daniel  Webster  Secretary  of  State,  negotiations 
were  opened  which  culminated  in  the  Wcbster- 
Ashburton  treaty;  and  in  the  summer  of  1843  com- 
missioners with  a  detailed  force  from  the  English 
aid  United  States  troops  established  the  boundary 
and  set  up  iron  posts  to  mark  the  same  as  far  as 
the  St.  John  river. 

That  treaty  settled  the  boundary  line  as  far  west 
as  the  Rocky  Mts.,  and  became  the  entering  wedge 
to  a  line  of  policy  that  has  since  prevailed,  and  we 
trust  ever  will  be  maintained  between  this  and  the 
mother  country  on  all  questions  of  difference  that 
mav  arise.  7 


58  HISTORY  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

AROOSTOOK  WAR  IN  HISTORY. 

The  dispute  in  regard  to  the  northeast  boun- 
dary of  Maine,  which  culminated  in  calling  out 
the  State  militia  and  building  fortifications  upon 
the  Aroostook  and  Fish  rivers,  has  been  treated  as 
a  very  insignificant  affair,  and  more  as  a  matter  of 
ridicule  than  as  one  of  heroic  devotion  to  home,  to 
vState  rights  and  national  prestige,  worthy  of  the 
descendants  of  the  heroes  of  Bunker  Hill,  Ticon- 
deroga,  Saratoga,  Yorktown  and  Trenton. 

While  each  year  adds  to  the  importance  .and 
value  of  the  possession,  it  should  be  remembered, 
that  but  for  the  courage  and  devotion,  toil  and  pri- 
vation and  patriotism  of  these  men,  the  British  flag 
would  now  be  flying  over  this  entire  regie n.  If 
State  action  had  not  been  taken,  and  State  pride 
aroused,  the  strict  wording  of  the  treaty  of   1793 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  59 


might  have  shown  to  the  authorities  at  Wash- 
ington that  all  the  tributaries  to  the  St.  John  river 
were  unquestionably  British  waters.  But  this  ac- 
tion,  together  with  the  fact  that  as  early  as  1806 
the  State  of  Massachusetts  had  taken  formal  pos- 
session and  located  land  far  beyond  sueh  an  imagin- 
ary line,  became  the  strong  points  in  our  favor  in 
the  negotiation  of  the  Webster- Ashburton  treaty. 
Our  State  is  worthy  of  all  honor  for  the  prompt- 
ness with  which  she  arose  to  the  emergency,  and 
the  spirit  in  which  she  stood  ready  to  maintain  her 
rights. 

A  careful  survey  of  the  situation  cannot  but  lead 
to  a  just  appreciation  of  the  patriotism  and  devotion 
of  the  men,  who,  at  the  call  of  the  State,  left  home 
and  loved  ones  and  marched  into  the  northern 
wilderness  in  the  dead  of  winter,  to  where  they 
were  almost  sure  to  meet  a  foe  who  would  greatly 
0  tnumber  them;  to  where  they  had  good  reason 
to  believe  and  did  believe  that  their  going  would 
res  It  in  open,  hostilities,  and  that  the  long  and 
wsary'  march  through  storm  and  snow,  was  to  a 
camping  ground  in  an  unbroken  wilderness  far 
from  civilization. 

Their  going  forth  to  what  one  has  been  pleased 
to  call  a  "bloodless  war,"  was  net  a  "mere  pastime, 
free  from  hardship,  exposure  or  danger, "'  but  to 
all  the  realities  of  a  long,  severe  and  dangerous 
campaign.     They  experienced  all  and  more  of  the 


6o  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


realities  of  war,  save  the  horrors  of  the  battlc-fickl, 

than  many  who  were  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion. 

And  many  well  trained  soldiers  will  assure  you 
that  the  terrible  "What  is  to  be?"  was  harder  to 
stand  up  against  than  the  actual  conflict  of  the 
battle  field. 

More  than  one  hundred  miles  into  the  wilderness 
and  away  from  civilization  these  men  went  for 
warlike  purposes,  many  a  mile  of  weary  march 
when  no  possible  assurance  could  be  given  that 
the  next  hour  or  even  minute  would  not  bring* 
them  face  to  face  with  a  hostile  foe:  as  true  soldiers 
always  on  the  alert,  ever  watchful,  always  ready 
for  the  call  to  battle,  and  deserving  of  all  the  honor 
that  would  have  been  showered  upon  them  if  the 
call  had  really  been  made  and  the  conflict  had  been 
long  and  sanguinary. 

The  obstacles  in  the  way  of  reliable  information, 
as  to  the  action  taken  or  movements  of  the  Pro- 
vincial government,  or  the  exasperated  settlers 
whose  business  had  been  broken  up,  placed  their 
every  movement  at  a  great  disadvantage.  That 
they  were  not  cut  off  from  their  base  of  supplies 
and  compelled  to  surrender  or  perhaps  wholly  de- 
stroyed, can  only  be  accounted  for,  from  the  reason 
that  the  opposing  force  was  less  courageous  or  less 
in  earnest  for  the  defence  of  the  territorv  and  their 
flag. 

The  readiness  with  which  thev  volunteered  after 


HISTORY   OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD.  63 

being  mustered  out  of  the  militia,  and  took  upon 
themselves  both  the  duties  of  the  soldier  and  the 
common  laborer,  should  not  be  forgotten.  The 
building  of  fortifications,  the  making  of  State  roads ; 
the  letting  in  of  light,  the  sending  out  of  good  re- 
ports of  the  land;  and  the  faithfulness  with  which 
many  of  them  remained  to  develop  and  improve 
the  country,  deserve  our  highest  praise. 

When  in  the  last  Maine  legislature  a  petition  was 
presented  asking  that  the  soldiers  of  the  Aroostook 
War  be  placed  upon  the  pension  roll,  and  the  quiet 
and  indifferent  manner  in  which  it  was  passed  by 
became  a  matter  of  record,  we  were  indeed  thank- 
ful that  in  spite  of  the  neglect  and  ingratitude  of  an 
ungrateful  country,  the  consciousness  of  true  devo- 
tion and  heroic  deeds  brings  its  own  reward. 

More  than  half  a  century  has  passed  since  their 
heroic  deeds  became  a  part  of  the  nation's  history; 
and  the  stamp  of  approval  placed  upon  them, 
through  the  establishment  of  our  northeastern 
boundary. 

While  we  contrast  the  valley  of  the  Aroostook 
and  upper  St.  John  of  to-day,  with  what  it  was  fifty 
years  ago,  and  then  look  forward  to  the  transform- 
ing power  of  another  fifty  years,  we  may  realize 
something  of  the  great  value  of  the  bright  jewel 
saved  through  their  vigilance  and  devotion  to  the 
national  domain. 


64  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 
CAPTAINS    IX    THE    WAR. 

The  first  captain  of  whom  wc  have  any  account. 
Stover  Rines,  was  with  Sheriff  Strickland  and  Land 
Agent  Melntvre  at  Fitzherbert's  upon  that  mem- 
orable night  when  the  first  real  experience  of  ac- 
tual hostilities  came  to  their  view.  If  the  land  agent 
was  the  superior  officer,  he  failed  to  "fire,  Stover, 
fire,"  at  his  command.  With  that  short  experience 
he  drops  out  of  sight,  so  far  as  our  town  is  con- 
cerned. Capt.  Rines,  however,  has  a  record  as 
commander  of  a  company  from  Oldtown  that  re- 
mained at  Fort  Kent  until  1S40,  when  they  were 
relieved  by  a  company  of  United  States  troops. 
Capt.  Rines  subsequently  entered  into  business  at 
Fish  River,  and  became  an  honored  and  influential 
citizen  of  that  place. 

The  second  in  command  was  Capt.  William  Par- 
rot, who  was  in  command  until  September,  1839; 
then  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Massachusetts. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIR  FIE  1. 1).  65 

Capt.  George  W.  Towle  was  for  a  time  in  com- 
mand of  the  volunteers,  and  in  charge  while  build- 
ing the  upper  blockhouse,  and  in  the  construction 
of  the  State  road. 

After  being  relieved  of  his  command,  Capt.  Towle 
secured  the  beautiful  interval  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Presque  Isle  stream,  and  made  a  delightful  home 
for  those  early  days.  In  addition  to  his  farming, 
he  engaged  extensively  in  lumber  operations. 

Capt.  John  B.  Wing  relieved  Capt.  Towle  of  his 
command,  and  for  a  time  was  the  principal  officer, 
and  as  a  matter  of  course  the  biggest  man  in  the 
new  settlement  that  was  gathering  round  the  post. 
Capt.  Wing  was  a  man  of  considerable  executive 
ability.  He  entered  heartily  into  the  development  of 
the  country,  and  was  active  and  influential  in  secur- 
ing a  charter  from  the  British  Parliament  and  the 
United  States  government  to  hold  the  lumber  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Aroostook  river,  for  rafting  be- 
fore taking  to  St.  John  for  sale. 

Being  engaged  in  the  lumbering  business,  he  saw 
the  necessity  for  fetter  transportation  for  short 
lumber  around  the  Aroostook  falls,  and  surveyed 
and  commenced  the  construction  of  a  railroad  for 
that  purpose. 

In  the  winter  of  1842-43  he  returned  to  his  for- 
mer home  in  Piscataquis  county,  and  after  a 
very  brief  visit  returned  with  one  of  Sangerville's 
beautiful  maidens  as  his  wedded  wife. 


66  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


Capt.  Wing  had  unqualified  faith  in  this  county, 
and  while  outside  in  pursuit  of  a  wife,  he  was  hard 
at  work  to  induce  others  to  follow  him  to  his  new 
frontier  home.  Among  the  number  that  heeded 
his  advice  was  Mr.  Charles  W.  Doughty,  who,  with 
his  young  wife,  a  schoolmate  of  Mrs.  Wing,  re- 
turned with  them.  Subsequently  a  younger  sister 
of  Mrs.  Doughty  made  them  a  visit  at  their  new 
Aroostook  home. 

We  shall  never  know  how  much  special  plead- 
ing it  required,  but  we  do  know  that  our  worthy 
townsman,  John  13.  Trafton,  Esq.,  was  at  that  time 
a  very  promising  young  lawyer,  and  at  his  solicita- 
tions she  decided  to  prolong  her  visit,  and  finally, 
not  only  to  give  up  the  idea  of  returning  to  the 
home  of  her  childhood,  but  to  abandon  the  honor- 
able and  respected  name  by  which  she  had  been 
proud  to  be  called,  and  accept  another,  by  which 
she  has  since  been  known,  the  light  of  his  home 
and  the  worthy  and  devoted  mother  of  his  children. 

Capt.  Wing  subsequently  moved  to  Pennsylvan- 
ia and  engaged  in  lumbering  upon  the  Susquehanna 
river.  In  1841  he  was  succeeded  in  command  by 
Capt.  Van  Ness  of  the  regular  army,  who  for  two 
years  was  in  command  of  a  company  of  United 
States  Infantry,  stationed  at  the  new  United  States 
post,  and  known  as  Fort  Fairfield.  The  captain 
had  seen  service  in  the  Florida  war.  By  some  his 
courage  was  questioned.     The  boys  used  to  give 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  67 

him  the  credit  of  being  the  active  agent  in  the  fol- 
lowing  incident; 

The  scouts  had  brought  word  that  a  large  body 
of  Indians  was  approaching,  when  the  captain  ad- 
dressed his  men  and  urged  them  to  be  brave  and 
do  their  duty,  but  said  lie:  "You  no  doubt  will  be 
overpowered  and  eompelled  to  retreat,  and  as  I  am 
lame  and  cannot  gro  verv  fast,  I  will  start  now!" 

In  1843  the  captain  with  his  command  was  or- 
dered to  Eastport,  and  from  there  to  the  southwest- 
ern frontier,  and  became  an  active,  and  we  believe, 
a  useful,  participant  in  the  Mexican  war. 

With  Capt.  Van  Ness,  while  stationed  at  Fort 
Fairfield,  was  Lieut.  Rieketts,  who,  with  his  young- 
wife,  was  greatly  respected  by  the  settlers.  Lieut. 
Rieketts  beeame  a  major-general  in  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion,  and  did  his  country  good  service. 

In  the  summer  of  1889,  the  writer,  with  his  wile, 
Mrs.  A.  C.  Paul  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  W.  Hilton,' 
made  up  a  part}-  to  view  the  National  Cemetery  at 
Arlington  Heights.  Soon  after  entering  the 
grounds,  our  attention  was  attracted  by  a  beautiful 
monument,  and  we  deeided  to  leave  the  earriage 
and  inspect  it. 

To  our  surprise  we  found  that  it  marked  the  rest- 
ing place  of  Major-General  Rieketts  of  the  United 
States  Army;  and,  as  if  to  remove  all  doubt  as  to 
identity,  we  read  these  words:  "Who  served  as  a 
lieutenant,  at  an  early  day,  upon  our  Northeastern 


68  HISTORY  FORT  FAIRFIELD, 


Frontier." 

These  men  all  had  a  plaee  and  worthily  rilled  it 
in  the  early  history  of  our  town.  With  others,  they 
did  their  part  in  bringing  it  to  notiee,  in  shaping  its 
poliey  and  laying  the  foundation  for  those  who 
came  after  to  enlarge  and  build  upon. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD.  69 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A    PIONEER    SETTLEMENT. 

In  September  of  1842,  Mr.  Freeman  Ellis,  Jr. 
and  Deacon  Edward  S.  Fowler,  both  of  Sanger- 
ville,  made  a  trip  to  the  then  new  Aroostook  coun- 
try for  the  purpose  of  taking  up  State  land  and 
making  homes.  At  that  time  they  found  all  the 
desirable  land  along  the  State  road  taken  up,  and  a 
settlement  had  been  commenced  on  what  was  then 
known  as  the  Centre  line.  E.  P.  Whitney  and 
Sanford  Johnston,  who  came  from  Kennebec  coun- 
ty with  one  Hunt,  (who  had  taken  up  the  lot  and 
built  a  house  where  A.  I.  Rollins  now  lives)  had 
taken  the  lots,  now  owned  by  James  Johnston  and 
Mrs.  Cummings,  upon  which  they  had  felled 
twenty  acres  of  trees;  and  Deacon  Hiram  Stevens 
had  gone  on  beyond  them  and  taken  the  two  lots 
south  and  adjoining  their  land,  upon  which  he  had 


70  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

felled  five  acres  of  trees.  When  Messrs.  Ellis  and 
Fowler  arrived  on  the  scene  upon  that  September 
morning  in  1S42,  they  found  a  path  bushed  out  to 
the  Johnston  and  Whitney  falling,  and  the  fire  had 
done  its  work  so  far  as  to  burn  the  small  brush 
and  black  the  logs;  and  from  there  to  Mr.  Stevens' 
opening,  which  was  in  like  condition,  there  was 
only  a  "spotted  line/'  South  of  Mr.  Stevens'  open- 
ing was  a  small  brook  and  a  big  cedar  swamp. 
Through  this  swamp  and  along  this  line  for  a  mile 
thev  travelled  before  deciding  upon  a  location. 
Mr.  Ellis  took  the  two  lots  on  the  west  side  and 
Deacon  Fowler  passed  over  one  lot  and  took  the 
second  one,  upon  the  east  side  and  adjoining  Mr. 
Ellis'  south  lot. 

With  their  decision  made,  to  make  homes  for 
their  families  in  the  new  country,  and  land  located, 
thev  returned  to  Piscataquis  county  to  arrange 
their  business  to  make  a  start  early  the  next  spring. 
Soon  after  their  return  to  Sangerville,  Mr.  Ellis 
commenced  a  correspondence  with  his  brother, 
Isaac  F.  Ellis,  who  was  then  living  in  Fayette,  the 
result  of  which  was  that  he  and  his  brother  in  law, 
Mr.  Addison  Powers,  joined  him  the  following- 
March,  and  with  his  eldest  son  (the  writer),  started 
with  two  one-horse  teams,  for  their  new  location. 
On  his  representations,  they  took  the  two  lots  di- 
rectly south  of  his  and  Deacon  Fowler's  lots,  and  that 
summer  felled  forty-five  acres  upon  the  adjoining 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  73 

four  corners.  Through  Deacon  Fowler's  influence 
a  young  man  by  the  name  of  J.  W.  P.  Jordan  had 
located  south  of  Mr.  Powers  on  the  east  side  of  the 
centre  line,  and  felled  five  acres  of  trees,  on  what 
is  now  know  as  the  Bryant  farm.  The  lire  was  not 
done  burning  in  the  forty-five  acres  chopping,  when 
J.  Wingate  Haines  from  Ilallowell  came  to  see  the 
new  country,  and  was  so  well  pleased  with  this  sec- 
tion of  it,  that  he  bought  Mr.  Freeman  Ellis'  claim 
and  also  took  up  the  State  lot  between  Deacon  Ste- 
ven's and  Deacon  Fowlers,  making  in  one  body 
four  hundred  and  eighty  acres.  Mr.  Ellis  then 
went  south  of  his  brother,  and  took  the  west  halt" 
of  the  six  hundred  and  forty  acre  block  running 
south  to  the  town  line.  With  Mr.  Haynes  came  a 
young  man  by  the  name  of  George  A.  Nurse,  who 
bought  the  Hunt,  now  Rollins,  place,  which  then 
extended  south  one  mile  and  joined  the  James  John- 
ston farm.  Young  Jordan  returned  to  Sangerville 
that  year  and  sold  his  land  to  Mr.  Leonard  Spoon- 
er,  who  came  with  his  family  in  the  summer  of 
1844.  Mr.  Haines  did  not  move  his  family  until 
several  years  later,  but  in  the  mean  time  placed  his 
brother  upon  the  land,  and  having  more  means  to 
do  with,  made  large  improvements,  not  only  upon 
that  land,  but  erected  a  sawmill  on  the  brook,  which 
was  a  great  help  in  building,  to  the  settlers.  In  an- 
other way  he  did  more  to  benefit  Aroostook  coun- 
ty than  any  other  man  of  those  earl}-  days.    Some  of 


/4  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

the  best  blooded  stock  of  that  day  in  the  State  came 
here  through  his  influence  and  with  his  money.     In 

those  days,  when  work  was  scarce,  not  because 
there  was  no  demand  for  it,  but  because  there  was 
so  little  to  pay  for  it,  Mr.  Haines  was  never  with- 
out something  that  could  be  used  in  one's  family  to 
cat  or  wear,  with  which  he  could  pay  for  a  day's 
work,  and  it  was  seldom,  summer  or  winter,  that 
he  turned  a  needy  applicant  away. 

Before  returning  to  their  families  in  Fayette,  Mr. 
Powers  and  Isaac  F.  Ellis  erected  log  houses  npon 
their  land,  and  jointly  with  Freeman  Ellis  and  Dea- 
con Fowler,  built  twenty-one  rocs  of  cedar-log 
bridge  across  the  brook  and  cedar  swamp  on  the 
eastern  line  of  Deacon  Stevens' land.  These  were 
the  first  houses  in  the  Maple  Grove  settlement.  In 
the  spring  of  1844  they  with  their  families  occupied 
them.  Deacon  Fowler  moved  his  family  into  the 
log  camp  occupied  jointly  by  these  parties  while 
felling  the  forty-live  acres  of  trees  and  making  the 
improvements  the  season  before.  Freeman  Ellis 
moved  his  family  into  the  Hunt  house  on  the  A.  I. 
Rollins  place,  and  a  few  weeks  later  into  a  part  of 
his  brother  Isaac's  loi^  house,  and  in  the  summer  to 
his  own  framed  house.  This  was  scon  followed 
by  houses  built  by  Deacon  Fowler,  J.  W.  Haines 
and  Leonard  vSpooner,  and  the  following  year  by 
Deacon  Hiram  Stevens,  The  house  built  by  Mr. 
JLiiae.i  and  occupied  by  his  brother  Charles  and 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  75 

family  for  four  years,  was  located  near  the  spot 
where  Mr.  Albert  L.  Haines'  fine  residence  now 
stands.  The  buildings  erected  bv  Freeman  Ellis 
have  been  entirely  removed;  they  stood  nearly  op- 
posite the  buildings  upon  the  Spooner  farm,  now 
owned  by  Charles  Bryant,  fifty  acres  having  been 
sold  to  his  son  and  buildings  erected,  afterwards 
sold  to  Mr.  Almon  S.  Richards,  who  bought  all  the 
land  taken  up  by  Mr.  Ellis,  except  the  south  eighty 
which  had  previously  passed  into  the  hands  of  Rev. 
Elbridg'e  Knight. 

In  the  spring  of  1848,  Mr.  J.  W.  Haines  moved 
his  family  and  took  the  active  management  of  his 
farm.  This  for  several  years  constituted  the  Ma- 
ple Grove  settlement,  with  slight  changes,  without 
removing  any  of  the  old  landmarks.  Isaac  F.  El- 
lis  bought  out  Mr.  Powers,  and  sold  fifty  acres 
(  which  is  now  a  part  of  the  town  farm  )  off  the 
south  end  of  his  original  lot,  to  Matthew  C  Bolster. 
Dei.  Stevens  had  sold  to  his  brother  what  is  now 
the  Rcdiker  place.  Mr.  Nurse  had  sold  to  Enoch 
Iloyt  the  south  part  of  the  Hunt  lot.  Mr.  Haines 
had  sold  a  part  of  what  is  now  the  I.  II.  Kipp  farm 
to  his  son,  George  W.  Bradford  Cummin  >s,  Esq., 
and  James  Johnston  had  located'upon  and  improved 
the  E.  P.  Whitney  and  Sanford  Johnston  lots  ;  J.  W. 
Haines  had  built  a  mill-house,  and  C.  II.  Ellis  had 
built  a  shingle  mill  a  short  distance  below  his  saw- 
mill, and  a  road  had   been  opened  across  Deacon 


76  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

Stevens'  east  lot  to  the  mills.  A  road  had  been 
opened  across  J.  W.  Haines'  north  lot,  west,  into 
the  Iloyt  neighborhood.  A  post  office  had  been 
established,  with  Deacon  Edward  S.  Fowler  post- 
master, and  C.  H.  Ellis  mail  contractor,  with  the 
understanding  that  the  postmaster  should  cany  the 
mail  to  and  from  the  Fort  Fairfield  office  once  a 
week  for  the  proceeds  of  the  office.        B 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELIT.  77 


CHAPTER  X. 

OUR     PIONEER     MOTHERS. 

Some  one  has  said  that  while  volumes  have  been 
written  about  our  Pilgrim  Fathers,  not  one  line  has 
yet  appeared  in  regard  to  our  Pilgrim  Mothers. 
Quite  as  forcible  a  writer  has  pertinently  raised  the 
question,  "If  it  had  not  been  for  our  mothers  where 
should  we  be?"  Whether  in  the  deep  solitude  of 
a  home  far  from  friends,  and  only  here  and  there, 
separated  by  distance  too  great  to  remove  the  lone- 
liness that  comes  to  us  from  the  consciousness  of 
imaginary  or  real  evils  by  which  we  are  surround- 
ed, and  beyond  our  power  to  resist;  to  be  aroused 
from  our  reveries  by  the  screech  of  the  harmless 
owl,  the  howl  of  the  hungry  wolf,  or  the  crack  of 
the  hunter's  or  Indian's  rifle,  or  in  the  broader  but 
not  less  lonely  home  upon  the  vast  prairie,  where 
from  morn  until  night  the  eve  may  look  out 
onlv  to  see  one  unbounded  tick!  of  loneliness,  and 
if  perchance  at  times  it  is  broken,  to  be  followed 


78  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


by  suspense,  not  knowing  whether  friend  or  foe  is 
coming — is  an  experience  into  which  the  women 

in  pioneer  life  have  most  fully  entered,  and  one  that 
has  been  harder  to  bear  than  the  hardships  and  pri- 
vations shared  with  husbands  and  children  in  their 
rude  and  comfortless  homes,  and  one  that  has  much 
to  do  with  the  faltering  step,  the  sad  and  weary 
look,  the  wasting  strength,  the  cold  and  lifeless 
form,  the  motherless  children  and  the  distracted 
husband,  that  too  often  becomes  a  part  of  pioneer 
life. 

In  the  settlement  of  the  Aroostook  valley,  there 
were  special  causes  to  awaken  apprehension,  arouse 
fear  and  make  almost  unendurable  the  lives  of  those 
devoted  women  who  had  bravely  left  the  comforts 
of  civilization,  and  gone  forth  with  the  men  of  their 
choice — not  only  with  them  the  solitude  and  lone- 
liness of  a  forest  home  to  share,  but  to  enter  into  a 
larger  experience  of  absolute  loneliness,  when  bus- 
iness or  necessity  compelled  them  to  spend  the  day, 
and  too  often  extending  into  days,  from  home. 

Only  a  few  miles  away  there  was  a  tribe  of  half 
civilized  Indians;  from  time  to  time  wild  beasts 
prowled  around  by  night,  and  sometimes  came  un- 
comfortably near  by  day;  and  often  admonished  of 
approaching  sickness,  with  a  knowledge  that  they 
were  so  far  separated  from  the  experienced  physi- 
cian that  it  was  impossible  to  call  for  his  aid, — 
these  were  only  a   part  of  the  almost  unendurable 


79 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

trials  that  added  to  their  unrest. 

It  is  true  these  causes  had  a  tendency  to  bring 
these  early  settlers  nearer  together — in  fact,  to  an- 
nihilate distance;  and  by  da)'  or  night  the  call  of 
distress  met  with  a  most  hearty  response;  and  it 
becomes  a  question  whether  the  sufferer  amidst 
this  solitude  is  entitled  to  the  greater  honor,  or  the 
heroic  woman,  who,  upon  a  storm)-  night,  amid  the 
muttering  of  sturm  and  the  howling  of  wolves, 
mounted  upon  a  horse  led  along  a  bridle  path  by  a 
soon  to  be  lather,  lantern  in  hand,  hastened  to  her 
relief. 

These  motherly  women  who  so  nobly  stood  by 
and  encouraged  their  younger  sisters  in  their  pio- 
neer homes  were -not  a  few,  and  they  are  no  less 
deserving  of  mention,  or  having  their  brows 
crowned  with  laurels,  than  the  most  renowned 
heroes  whose  life  blood  flowed  freely  upon  san- 
guinary fields.  Among  these  faithful  and  de- 
voted women,  who  were  ever  read)*  to  respond  to 
the  call  of  their  suffering  sisters,  Mrs.  William 
Johnston,  Mrs.  Freeman  Ellis  and  Mrs.  Levi  Iloyt, 
are  deserving  of  particular  mention.  If  we  were 
to  give  a  list  of  all  deserving  of  praise  and  ad- 
miration for  their  toil  and  privations,  for  their  de- 
votion to  their  husbands  and  children,  for  the 
active  and  laborious  part  thev  took  in  transforming 
the  wilderness  into  the  lovely  happy  homes  we 
nc\v  behold,  it  would  be  to  give  the  names  of  each 


So  HISTORY  OF  FORI'  FAIRFIELD. 

and  all  who  were  the  sunlight  of  those  rough  but 
happy  pioneer  homes.  Among  the  young  women 
who  commenced  married  Hie  among  the  early 
settlers  of  our  town,  Mrs.  Henry  Currier  stood 
pre-eminently  above  all  others,  as  a  wife,  mother 
and  helpmate.  While  she  has  gone  over  to  the 
border  land,  her  large  family  have  gone  out  from 
her  influence  and  training,  and  by  their  lives  and 
example  are  a  continued  honor  to  her  name.  While 
we  cannot  give  an  extended  list,  we  cannot  forbear 
mention  of  the  name  of  Mrs.  Jesse  Averill,  who 
did  her  work  well  and  has  gone  to  her  reward. 

There  may  be  others  who  suffered  more  pri- 
vations, and  whose  heroic  toil  and  sufferings  are 
deserving  of  mention,  and  who  did  as  much  in  the 
moulding  of  our  social  surroundings,  but  as  this 
part  of  our  history  must  be  from  personal  obser- 
vation, and  it  is  not  our  purpose  to  extend  this  line 
of  observation  beyond  a  single  chapter,  we  can  go 
no  farther. 

The  real  worth  and  true  womanhood  of  these 
worthy  and  devoted  mothers  of  this"  young  colony, 
are  beheld  in  the  clearest  and  most  perfect  light, 
in  the  useful,  influential  and  commanding  lives  of 
their  daughters — the  mothers  of  to-day.  And  as 
the  Roman  matron  pointed  to  her  children  and 
said:  kwThese  are  my  jewels,"  the  imperishable 
names  of  their  children  honor  every  profession, 
strengthen  every  institution  and  aid  in  building  up 


----- 


*'*~mm 


STREET    VIEW,    GOODHUE'S    BLOCK. 


AROOSTOOK    VALLEY    STARCH  FACTORY. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


83 


all  the  walks  of  life.  While  we  rejoice  that  the 
world  moves  and  that  woman's  influence  is  more 
and  more  coming  to  be  a  power,  never  can  she 
rise  to  a  higher  eminence,  never  shall  she  know  a 
higher  fame,  never  shall  a  brighter  halo  gather 
around  her  name,  than  the  sacred  endearing  name 
of  mother,  that  lives,  brightens  and  dazzles  in  the 
life  work  of  her  devoted  sons. 


tt4  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  XL 

TOPOGRAPHY    AND    SOIL. 

There  is  no  part  of  Fort  Fairfield  that  is  more 
than  six  miles  distant  from  the  Aroostook  river; 
there  are  no  hiodi  hills  or  hi  oh  barren  land.  The 
highest  land,  which  was  called  by  the  early  settlers 
"the  Mountain,"  is  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  town, 
near  the  western  town  line;  it  is  not  only  suscepti- 
ble of  cultivation,  but  was  amongthe  first  land  taken 
for  settlement;  the  farms  of  Jonathan  Hopkinson 
and  Daniel  G.  Palmer  being  located  upon  it,  and  the 
road  from  Presque  Isle  to  the  village  of  Fort  Fairfield 
passes  over  it.  On  the  same  road  and  nearer  Fort 
Fairfield,  is  the  "Whitney  hill,"  named  for  its  first 
settler,  William  Whitney,  who  took  it  soon  after 
"the  Mountain"  was  settled,  and  cleared  it  to  the 
very  summit.  These  high  lands  were  free  from 
stone,  and  very  product!  vc,  and  no  doubt  these  high 
elevations  were  Bought  PC  account ;  of  their  fceing 
Joss  liable  to  frost, 


IISTOKY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  85 


The  whole  town  with  the  cxeeption  of  that  im- 
mediately upon  either  side  of  the  river  is  undu- 
lating and  rolling,  and  now  that  the  trees  in  its 
valleys  and  upon  its  hillsides  are  cleared  away,  it 
presents  one  of  the  most  beautiful  panoramas  the 
eye  of  mortal  man  ever  rested  upon;  varying  as  he 
ascends  each  hill  top,  and  as  he  drinks  in  the 
beauty  of  his  surroundings,  the  last  appearing  more 
beautiful  then  its  immediate  predecessor.  As  seen 
in  the  early  forties,  with  here  and  there  a  small 
opening  cut  in  the  vast  forest  of  maple,  birch,  in- 
terspersed with  here  and  there  a  pine  and  fir,  send- 
ing their  slender,  beautiful  dressed  form  heaven- 
ward over-topped  by  stately  pines  looking  out  from 
above  and  down  upon  the  beautiful  scenery,  seen  in 
its  best  in  the  months  of  June  and  July;  as  the  sun- 
light rested  upon  it,  and  the  gentle  breezes  rustled 
its  green,  luxuriant  foliage  it  stood  unsurpassed  in 
all  the  land. 

The  land  along  the  river  is  level,  and  in  places 
broad,  beautiful  intervals  spread  out  before  you, 
and  in  an  earlier  period  no  doubt,  marked  a  larger 
and  broader  river  from  which  the  waters  swept  on 
to  the  sea. 

The  soil  of  Fort  Fairfield  is  like  that  of  the 
lower  Aroostook  valley.  kWIt  rests  upon  a  inun- 
dation of  argillaceous  rock  which  is  but  a  few  feet 
below  the  surface,  frequently  cropping  out,  es- 
pecially upon  the  sides  of  the   hills.     This  rock  is 


H6  HISTORY   OF    PORT    FAIRFIELD. 


composed  largely  of  clay  with  a  mixture  of  silica 
(sand)  and  lime.  Its  decomposition  by  the  action 
of  frost  and  heat  and  moisture,  is  in  fact  the 
material  of  which  the  soil  of  the  Aroostook  valley 
is  made;  for  ages  this  decomposition  has  been 
going  on  and  has  made  the  surface  of  earth  in  the 
uplands  of  the  entire  region,  of  the  richest  and  most, 
productive  quality.'' 

It  was  from  this  fountain, the  early  settlers  drew, 
and  some  of  them  were  so  well  repaid  that  they 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  fertilizers  would  never 
be  needed  upon  this  land. 

It  is  these  lasting  qualities  that  makes  the  land 
after  all  these  years  respond  so  readily  to  the  use 
of  phosophates,  and  give  the  abundant  and  almost 
unprecedented  yield  of  vegetables,  grains  and 
grasses. 

Limestone  is  found  in  various  places  and 
Professor  Wareing,  cf  New  York,  came  to  the 
Aroostook  at  an  early  day  to  deliver  an  address  be- 
fore the  N.  Aroostook  Agricultural  Socictv,  when 
J.  Wingate  Haines  was  President  and  C.  II.  Ellis 
Secretary,  and  through  whose  influence  largely,  he 
was  induced  to  come. 

After  extending  his  visit  from  Prcsquc  Isle, 
where  the  fair  was  held,  to  the  beautiful  farms  of 
John  Allen  in  "G,"  and  Winslow  Hall  and  Ivory 
Ilardison  in  "H,"  and  to  the  Maple  Grove  settle- 
ment and   home   of  J.   Wingate    Haines,    he    pro- 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  cS; 


nounced  the  soil  identical  with  that  of  the  far- 
famed  Genesee  valley  of  central  New  York,  and 
predicted  future  development  and  productiveness, 
unsurpassed  in  the  land. 

These  lands  are  abundantly  watered,  first  of  all 
by  the  Aroostook  river,  which  makes  a  grand 
sweep  and  giving  nearly  ten  miles  of  waterway; 
next  in  importance,  and  coming  from  the  south 
is  Fitzherbert's  brook,  rising  in  the  township 
south  (Easton)  and  supplying  two  valuable  water 
privileges,  it  empties  into  the  Aroostook  river 
about  two  miles  above  the  falls.  The  Johnston 
brook,  which  rises  in  the  south-west  portion  of  the 
town,  and  upon  which  the  Maple  Grove  Potato 
Factory  and  Bryant's  Mill,  is  located,  and  which  sup- 
plies more  good  mill  sites,  with  a  scanty  supply  of 
water,  than  any  other  stream  in  the  county.  This 
stream  supplies  a  valuable  mill  site  in  our  village, 
and  empties  into  the  Aroostook,  near  the  Collins 
House.  The  Lovely  brook  rises  in  the  town  of 
Presque  Isle  and  enters  the  Aroostook  river  one 
mile  above  the  village;  it  is  a  reliable  water  power. 

On  the  north  side  of  the  Aroostook  river  the 
Ilurd  brook,  after  running  through  the  north  part 
of  the  town  of  Fort  Fairfield,  comes  to  the  river 
one-half  mile  this  side  of  the  boundary  line;  op- 
posite the  village  is  the  Nelson  brook,  and  three 
miles  above,  the  Amsclen  brook,  after  watering  a 
large   breadth  of  land,  joins   the  Aroostook   river. 


88  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

These,  together  with  a  large  number  of  beautiful 
fountains  of  sparkling  water  springing  up  out  of 
the  earth,  abundantly  supply  both  man  and  beast, 
with  this,  God's  best  °ift  to  man. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  89 


CHAPTER  XII. 

HARDSHIPS  AND    PRIVATIONS. 

Some  men  have  made  a  record  by  their  patient 
suffering,  while  a  much  larger  elass  are  remem- 
bered more  for  their  physical  endurance,  the  pri- 
vations they  have  experienced  and  the  hardships 
endured,  rather  than  for  what  they  have  really  ac- 
complished. No  where  is  this  truer  than  in  the 
early  settlement  of  the  Aroostook  valley.  Very 
few  of  these  settlers  were  possessed  of  any  means 
other  than  what  they  earned  by  their  daily  toil. 
With  heavy  forest  to  remove  from  their  land,  with 
early  frost  to  injure  their  crops,  they  were  com- 
pelled to  engage  in  small  lumber  operations,  or  to 
go  from  home  through  the  winter  and  work  in  the 
lumber  woods.  And  too  often  alter  a  hard  win- 
ters' work,  the  extremely  high  price  at  which  goods 
purchased  on  the  long  time  credit  of  a  lumber  op- 
eration, and  hauled  with  teams  from  a  far  away 
market,  had  to  be  sold*  would  use  up  every  dollar* 
oven  with  thy  most  prudent  management  of  a.  fru- 
gal and  industrious  housewife,    And  to  those  who 


90  HISTORY  OF   FORT  FAIRFIELD. 

had  no  family  to  support,  the  hanging  up  of  the 
drive,  or  total  failure  of  their  employer,  was  no  un- 
usual experience. 

Potatoes,  then  as  now,  were  a  sure  erop.  The 
hoe  struck  through  the  turf  and  lifted  so  as  to  drop 
a  potato  under  it,  and  pressed  down  with  the  foot, 
could  safely  be  left  until  harvest  time,  with  the 
assurance  of  an  abundant  return.  Oats  were  usual- 
ly a  safe  erop,  and  gave  an  abundant  yield,  and 
through  the  enterprise  of  a  Provineial  neighbor,  a 
good  mill  for  kilndrying  and  grinding  them,  was 
within  reach.  But  for  these  facts  some  would  have 
been  compelled  to  abandon  their  improvements, 
and  leave  the  country;  if  instances  of  actual  starv- 
ation* had  not  occurred;  and  a  valuable  source  of 
bread  supply,  that  had  come  into  almost  universal 
use,  would  not  have   been  known  to  these  settlers. 

The  experience  of  one,  with  variations,  was  a 
part  of  many  lives.  With  a  small  clearing:,  a  log 
house,  the  potatoes  were  gathered  and  stored  in 
the  cellar,  the  only  provision  for  the  wife  and  young 
family.  The  nearest  plaee  at  which  work  could 
be  had  was  four  miles  away,  and  each  morning 
with  his  ax  upon  his  shoulder,  at  an  early  hour  he 
left  his  home  to  toil  until  late  at  night  for  a  dollar, 
whose  purchasing  power  was  not  over  half,  if  more 
than  one-third  of  what  it  is  to-dav. 

Then  with  a  few  pounds  of  meal,  (flour  was  not 
to  be    thought    of)    a    piece    of    pork,  a   little  tea 


a 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  93 

fastened  to  his  ax  handle  and  over  his  shoulder,  he 
wended  his  way  back  to  his  lonely  wife  and  com- 
fortless home,  to  be  repeated  day  after  day,  as  the 
months  and  sometimes  years  rolled  away.  An 
incident  related  by  an  eye  witness,  is  illustrative 
not  only  of  the  destitution  but  of  the  heroism  with 
which  it  was  endured. 

"After  a  walk  of  several  miles,  a  eall  at  a  house 
for  a  drink  of  water,  found  the  family  just  sitting 
down  to  breakfast."  lie  was  asked  to  "sit  up  and 
partake  with  them,''  but  declined.  To  his  sur- 
prise there  was  nothing  on  .  the  table  but  greens, 
(cooked  fiddle-heads,  a  species  of  fern),  and  salt. 
Without  being  in  the  least  abashed  and  probably 
conscious  that  his  destitution  was  not  the  exception 
he  coolly  remarked  "If  the  house  is  full  of  pro- 
vision, we  have  to  have  our  greens."  No  doubt 
some  of  our  readers  will  think  this  picture  over- 
drawn, but  when  in  many  of  the  families,  wheat 
bread  and  butter  were  not  seen  for  weeks  together, 
we  may  not  be  surprisec]  or  unprepared  for  all 
and  more  than  we  shall  find  recorded  in  these 
pages. 

Of  our  own  personal  knowledge,  a  house  now 
stands  in  this  village  upon  which  the  carpenter 
work  was  done  with  the  full  understanding  that  an 
order  was  to  be  given  on  the  store,  at  one  dollar 
per  day,  and  \\vdt  buckwheat  pancakes  and  mo- 
lasses was  the  best  board  that  could  be  furnished. 


94  HIS  TORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


The  weary  hours  of  toil,  and  the  exposure  to 
cold.and  storm,  was  often  more  endurable  than 
the  destitution  and  privations  that  was  the  lot  of 
loved  ones,  deprived  of  the  necessities  of  life,  and 
the  comfort  of  a  home  that  all  should  enjov. 

In  the  winter  of  44-45  a  boy  who  had  known  but 
little  of  the  hardships  of  life,  was  at  work  in  the 
lumber  woods  some  twenty  miles  from  home.  In 
midwinter  such  a  degree  of  homesickness  came 
over  him  that  he  obtained  leave  of  absence  for  a 
few  days  to  visit  his  home.  But  that  comfortless 
home  and  destitute  family,  was  harder  to  endure 
than  all  his  past  loneliness.  So  with  a  neighbor's 
horse  and  sled  and  one  to  return  with  it,  he  started 
back  to  the  woods,  going  by  the  way  of  his  em- 
ployer's store,  to  whom  he  told  of  the  destitution 
at  home,  and  "took  up"  all  his  work  had  come  to 
and  all  there  was  a  prospect  of  earning  for  the  re- 
mainder of  the  winter,  and  sent  it  home  to  help  the 
familv  and  went  on  his  wav  rejoicing,  to  days  of 
toil  and  exposure  to  which  he  had  never  been 
inured. 

As  we  go  forth  and  behold  the  broad  fields,  the 
beautiful  homes  and  the  prosperous  and  wealthy 
farmers  that  make  up  our  community  to-day,  it  is 
indeed  difficult  to  realize  the  labor,  privations, 
hardships  and  sufferings  that  laid  the  foundation 
and  made  the  present  possible.  It  is  difficult  to 
give  them  the  place    they    deserve  in  transforming 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  0,5 


the  wilderness  of  desolation  and  gloom,  into  the 
beautiful  panorama  that  from  our  hill-tops  dazzles 
the  eye  of  the  beholder,  while  it  entrances  his 
vision,  and  leads  him  to  exclaim:  "They  wisely 
selected,  nobly  planned,  and  worthily  performed. 
They  rest  from  their  toil  and  privations,  and  their 
works  are  the  foundation  upon  which  others  shall 
reap  a  rich  reward/'  u 


g6  history  of  port  Fairfield. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

LOOKING    BACKWARD. 

In  March,  1843,  a  boy  in  his  eighteenth  year  left 
school  and  home  in  a  quiet  village  in  central 
Maine,  and  started  out  on  what  proved  to  be  a 
seven  days'  journey,  to  the  then  almost  unknown 
Aroostook  county. 

The  entire  party  consisted  of  three  men  and  the 
boy,  and  two  one  horse  loaded  teams.  The  roads 
were  bad,  snow  deep,  and  it  was  very  difficult  getting 
past  teams  that  were  met.  There  was  very  little 
going  faster  then  a  walk,  and  upon  rising  ground 
all  walked.  It  was  a  tiresome  and  dreary  journey, 
and  before  its  end  a  full  two  feet  of  snow  was 
added  to  that  before  fallen.  Alter  leaving  Lin- 
coln village,  there  was  only  here  and  there  a 
house  in  a  small  clearing  until  Mattawankeag  Point 
was  reached,  where  there  was  a  tavern,  a  store, 
two  or  three  small   houses  and  a  blacksmith  shop. 


History    OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD.  97 


From  the  "Point"  to  the  mouth  of  the  Aroostook 
road  we  passed  over  an  unsettled  country,  not  an 
inhabitant  for  the  whole  distance,  and  the  land  too 
poor  to  raise  timber  of  any  size.  At  the  mouth 
of  the  Aroostook  road  there  was  a  tavern  (hotel 
was  not  known  in  those  days)  and  two  large  stables. 
There  was  a  tavern  at  Molunkus,  the  "Letter  A 
House''  and  only  two  or  three  settlers  until  we 
were  within  five  miles  of  Iloulton.  Iloulton  was 
a  quiet  halmet,  with  Ilaneoek  Barracks  and  a  regi- 
ment of  United  States  troops  nearly  one  mile  away, 

After  leaving  Iloulton  we  passed  a  few  small 
openings  before  arriving  at  General  Wellington's 
(  Monticcllo ),  from  there  to  Ketchum's  (Bridge- 
water)  we  passed  through  an  unbroken  wilderness, 
as  before,  until  within  three  miles  of  Fairbank's 
(Presque  Isle),  with  the  exception  of  Thorn's,  a 
log  house  half  way  between  Bridge  water  and 
Presque  Isle,  where  a  halt  was  almost  universally 
made  for  dinner,  to  bait  the  team,  or  for  a  drink 
of  something  stronger  then  water.  Before  arriving 
at  Fairbanks'  we  passed  two  small  openings  with 
their  small  log  houses,  occupied  by  Dea.  Rose  and 
Hiram  Hardison  and  their  families,  and  possibly 
there  might  have  been  two  or  three  others. 

From  Presque  Isle  we  passed  the  Veranus 
Chandler  place  (a  very  small  beginning)  and  after 
crossing  the  west  line  of  "Letter  D"  (  Fort  Fair- 
field), found  the  roadsides  dotted  with  small  open- 


9<S  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

ings  where  Jonathan  Hopkinson,  Daniel  G.  Palmer, 
Mr.  Bragdon,  Benjamin  D.  and  Otis  Eastman, 
Levi  Hoyt,  William  Whitney,  Orrin  Whitney, 
Hunt,  Tucker  and  Lyon  had  just  commenced  im- 
provements. 

It  was  a  long,  weary  journey,  with  very  little  to 
interest  or  lift  the  dark  vail  that  seemed  to  settle 
as  a  pall  over  the  young  life.  It  was  a  going  out, 
without  Abraham's  faith,  "not  knowing  whither  lie 
went/'  It  was  a  journey  away  from  home,  away 
from  young  associates,  away  from  all  that  had 
made  up  a  happy,  hopeful,  joyous  life.  It  was  the 
begining  of  a  severe  but  valuable  discipline.  It 
was  the  school  of  personal  reliance  and  self  disci- 
pline, it  was  the  putting  away  of  boyhood  and 
entering  upon  the   roval    road  of  reliant  manhood. 

Our  first  day  in  Fort  Fairfield  was  April  5th. 
Our  first  effort  at  a  day's  work  was  cutting  ice, 
which  was  nearly  or  quite  three  feet  thick  in  the 
Aroostook  river.  A  charter  for  a  boom  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Aroostook  had  been  obtained  from 
the  British  Parliament.  Capt.  J.  B.  Wing  had  pur- 
chased the  Aroostook  boom  from  the  State,  and 
was  engaged  in  cutting  it  out  of  the  ice,  and  haul- 
ing it  to  the  mouth  of  the  river,  to  have  it  in  readi- 
ness to  hold  the  spring  drives  and  raft  the  timber 
before  running  it  down  the  St.  John  river.  The 
snow  was  then  six  feet  deep;  many  of  the  teams 
had  come  out  of  the  woods  unable  to  work,  some 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  99 


by  reason  of  scattered  timber  and  long  roads,  some 
because  it  was  impossible  to  get  supplies  in  from 
Bangorj  on  account  of  deep  snow  and  bad  roads. 

Hardships  and  privations  were  the  lot  of 
all  the  settlers.  Late  springs  and  early  frosts 
were  experienced  for  several  subsequent  years. 
Lumbering  seemed  to  be  the  popular  employment, 
but  most  of  these  new  settlers  who  had  never 
had  any  experience  in  that  business,  were  in- 
deed lucky  if  a  winters  living  for  themselves  and 
families  was  realized  from  their  investment,  but  a 
more  common  experience  was  to  come  out  in  debt. 

Aroostook  at  that  early  day  was  fortunate  in  the 
class  of  settlers  that  came  to  make  homes.  They 
were  men  who  came  with  dependent  families,  and 
used  up  all  their  means  before  they  had  begun  to 
experience  the  hardships  and  privations  that  came 
thick  and  fast. 

It  is  true  they  were  hard  working  men  with  indom- 
itable wills,  with  courage  to  face  the  most  discour- 
aging surroundings.  They  heroically  remained  and 
faced  all  these  privations  and  trials  for  the  simple 
but  effective  reason,  that  there  was  nowhere  they 
could  go,  and  they  had  nothing  to  go  with.  Like 
their  heroic  ancestors  who  two  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-three years  before  came  oyer  in  the  Mayflower, 
the\-  had  risked  all  to  better  their  condition,  they 
had  sold  all  their  possessions,  and  with  their  de- 
pendent families  had  located  in  these  faraway  lor- 


lOO  HISTORY  OF  FORI'  FAIRFIELD. 

est  homes.  And  as  all  possibility  of  returning  was 
eut  off  when  the  Mayflower  raised  her  anchor  and 
hoisted  sails  for  her  return  voyage, — so  they 
were  here  to  go  forward,  here  to  subdue  these  for- 
ests, here  to  let  in  the  sunlight,  that  it  might  warm 
the  soil,  dry  up  the  dampness,  change  the  seasons, 
and  make  this  dreary  and  forbidding  desolation  the 
garden  of  the  State.  They  were  here  to  stay:  for  to 
turnback  was  death,  their  only  way  was  to  do  or  die. 
Like  them  they  were  firm  believers  in  an  overrul- 
ing and  gracious  Providence.  To  them  the  seed 
time  and  the  harvest  were  a  verity;  to  them  hard- 
ship and  privations  were  a  discipline,  and  with  them 
the  minister,  the  church,  the  schoolhouse  and  the 
teacher,  were  as  necessary  as  the  bread  and  cloth- 
ing for  their  families.  Faith  in  God  inspired  in 
them  faith  in  themselves,  and  failure  became  an 
impossibility,  and  success  became  assured.  Like 
them,  present  duty  and  faith  in  a  brighter  and  more 
prosperous  future  was  their  guiding  star.  The  for- 
est fell  before  the  woodman's  axe,  and  the  waving 
grain  was  gathered,  and  the  work  of  transformation 
steadily  and  persistently  went  forward. 

Like  them,  they,  builded  better  than  they  knew. 
If  we  turn  back  to  the  close  of  the  first  fifty  years 
of  the  Plymouth  Colony  and  carefully  study  its  his- 
tory, we  shall  find  that  it  in  no  way  compares  with 
the  rich  harvest  that  has  been  gathered  from  the 
toil,  privations  and  indomitable  will  of  the  Aroos- 
took pioneers. 


STREET    VIEW    FROM    LEADER    OFFICE, 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  IO3 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

LETTER  D    PLANTATION. 

It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  American  citizens 
would  be  content  to  forego  the  privilege  of  a  voice 
in  the  selection  of  their  rulers.  Our  forefathers 
resisted  the  British  crown  because  of  taxation 
without  representation.  Our  fathers  planned  for 
representation  without  taxation. 

The  legislature  in  the  winter  pf  1840  passed  an 
act,  for  the  organization  of  plantations  for  election 
purposes.  This  organization  gave  all  the  rights  of 
franchise,  in  the  election  of  State,  national  and 
county  officers,  and  consisted  of  a  board  of  as- 
sessors and  clerk,  and  made  no  provision  for  raising 
money  by  taxation    for  any  purpose  whatever. 

At  the  September  election  in  1840  the  nearest 
place  of  voting  was  llqulton,  and  Capl,  John  B. 
Wing,  D.  K,  Hobart  of  Presque  Isle  and  Almon  S. 
Richards  went  to  lloultyn  ta  vote  at  the  State 
electon, 


104  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

On  October  19,  1840,  "Letter  D"  and  Plymouth 
Grant  in  Range  1,  "Letters F,  G  and  H"  and  Eaton 
Grant  in  Range  2  and  Townships  12  and  13  in  Range 
3  were  organized  as  Presque  Isle  plantation,  and 
Veranus  Chandler,  Silas  Blodgett  and  Isaae  Mc- 
Donald were  chosen  assessors.  On  September  4, 
1841,  "Letters  Dand  E"and  Plymouth  Grant  Range 
1,  "Letter  H"  and  Eaton  Grant  Range  2  were 
organized  with  John  B.  Wing,  Abel  Humphry  and 
William  Johnston,  assessors,  and  E.  W.  Waite 
clerk.  The  next  plantation  on  the  lower  Aroos- 
took to  organize,  was  Caribou.  This  embraced 
Letters  II  and  I  Range  2,  and  was  organized  April 
24,  1848  and  in  1854,  Eaton  Grant  and  the  west 
half  of  Plymouth  Grant  became  a  separate  plan- 
tation organization. 

The  officers  consisted  of  a  moderator  who  pre- 
sided at  the  annual  meeting:  a  clerk,  who  was  re- 
quired to  keep  a  record  of  the  proceedings,  and 
three  assessors,  whose  duty  consisted  in  deciding 
as  to  who  was  entitled  to  vote,  counting  and  de- 
claring the  votes,  and  making  the  proper  returns. 

It  is  doubtful  just  when  or  how  the  original 
Letter  D  Plantation  became  organized  with  power 
to  assess  taxes;  but  as  the  necessity  for  schools  be- 
came apparent,  the  people  demanded  taxation  to. 
support  them,  and  the  raising  money  for  roads  and 
other  purposes  until  the  board  of  officers  with 
duties  as  general  as  those  in  towns  were  in  active 


HISTORY   OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD.  IO^ 


operation.  At  these  early  plantation  meetings 
party  lines  were  strictly  drawn,  as  it  was  all  im- 
portant that  our  side  eontrolled  the  decision  as  to 
who  had  the  right  to  .vote,  and  experience  had  not 
been  slow  to  teach  that  it  made  a  vast  difference 
whether  the  applicant  for  the  high  honor  of  cast- 
ing a  ballot  intended  to  vote  for  or  against  the 
party  who  controlled  the  polls.  Often  times  at  the 
annual  plantation  election  excitement  ran  high. 
Every  man  within  the  territorial  limits,  would  be 
found  at  the  polling  place,  and  if  by  reason  of  sick- 
ness one  was  detained  at  home,  they  were  so  even- 
ly divided  as  to  affect  the  result.  While  a  large 
proportion  of  the  new  settlers  were  men  of  decided 
convictions  and  strong  partisans,  there  was  always 
an  element  open  to  conviction,  and  the  stronger 
influence  and  other  inducements  were  a  factor 
that  was  to  be  taken  into  consideration  in  the  final 
results. 

The  annual  ww March  meeting" — which  was  held 
in  April — and  the  State  and  national  elections,  were 
important  events,  together  with  the  fourth  of  July, 
that  brought  the  people  together,  kept  the  fires  of 
patriotism  burning,  and  left  an  abiding  conscious- 
ness in  every  mind  that  the  future  destiny  of  state 
and  nation  depended  upon  their  influence  and  vote. 

The  strange  and  unaccountable  thing  was,  that 
so  many  unreasonable  and  ridiculous  things  could 
be  enacted  in  the  name  of  liberty  and  equal  rights. 


106  HISTORY   OF   FORT   FAIRFIELD; 

without  in  the  least  destroying  faith  in,  or  losing 
respect  for,  the  sacred  rites  of  the  ballot.  Each 
and  ever}7  coming  together  for  election  purposes 
was  a  diversion  and  recreation.  Each  election  was 
a  reminder  that  we,  although  completely  isolated 
from  former  homes  and  friends,  were  American 
citizens,  with  all  the  inherent  power  of  any  others, 
or  with  other  equal  numbers  in  the  richest,  most 
populous  and  oldest  portion  of  the  land.  A  care- 
ful study  of  situation  from  the  standpoint  of  results 
convinces  us  that  the  ballot  was  quite  as  much  a 
power  in  keeping  up  the  spirit  of  patriotism,  and  in 
winning  to  our  form  of  o-overnment  and  institutions 
those  familiar  with  and  loyal  to  another,  as  in  its 
influence  in  deciding  elections  and  influencing  gov- 
ernmental affairs.  In  this  we  do  not  wish  to  be 
understood  as  in  any  way  belittling,  or  placing  a 
low  estimate  upon  this  secret,  silent  but  omnipres- 
ent power  in  American  politics. 

From  the  earliest  settlement  in  New  England, 
the  right  of  representation  had  been  a  cherished 
thought,  a  component  part  of  true  and  dignified 
manhood. 

A  government  by  the  people,  coupled  with  kkwe 
are  the  people,"  became  the  central  idea  of  equal 
and  exact  rights. 

The  ballot  became  more  and  more  the  power 
for  all  that  was  right  and  the  destroyer  of  all  that 
was  wrong.     In  those  plantation  days  the  number 


HISTORY   OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  IO7 

of  ballots  cast  in  proportion  to  the  actual  number 
of  voters  was  greater  than  in  older  and  more  thick- 
lv  populated  communities.  And  if  we  mistake 
not,  as  intelligent  and  conscientious  ballots  were 
cast  as  in  any  part  of  the  land.  ]2 


Io8  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

PLANTATION  MEETINGS. 

The  first  political  organization  in  this  town  was 
effected  in  1842  under  the  State  law.  It  was  for 
election  purposes  only  and  was  under  the  name  of 
"Letter  D  Plantation."  The  organization  was 
effected  by  the  choice  of  a  moderator  to  preside 
at  the  annual  meeting,  which  was  for  the  election 
of  plantation  officers,  to  consist  of  three  assessors 
who  were  to  be  judges  of  the  right  of  franchise,  pre- 
side and  keep  order  at  the  annual  elections,  receive, 
sort,  count  and  make  official  returns  of  the  votes; 
and  a  clerk,  who  kept  a  correct  record  of  all  proceed- 
ings at  both  the  annual  spring  election  of  planta- 
tion officers,  and  of  the  September  election  returns. 
To  this  was  added  the  important  duty  of  posting 
all  notices  of  intentions  of  marriage,  and  for  the 
moderate  sum  of  fifty  cents  to  supply  the  interest- 
ed parties  with  a  certificate,  setting  forth  that  such 
duty  had  been  legally  performed. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  IO9 

The  election  of  plantation  officers  was  con- 
sidered a  matter  of  considerable  importance.  Party 
politics  often  ran  high,  and  with  parties  about 
equally  divided,  some  sharp  practices  were  resort- 
ed to  in  earning  the  day.  The  names  of  Whig  and 
Democrat  were  often  held  up  and  their  principles 
advocated  with  as  much  earnestness  as  if  the  most 
sacred  rights,  and  present,  if  not  eternal  interests, 
were  involved.  At  one  election  it  was  evident  that 
a  most  determined  light  was  to  be  made.  Mr.  Ad- 
dison Powers,  who  had  made  man}*  personal  friends, 
was  the  Whig  candidate  for  moderator,  and  when 
the  vote  was  declared  it  wras  seen  that  he  had  been 
elected  by  only  one  majority.  The  next  vote,  for 
clerk,  was  looked  forward  to  with  much  anxiety. 
The  Democrats  had  placed  in  nomination  a  very 
popular  and  estimable  young  man;  the  Whigs  had 
also  put  in  nomination  a  young  man  who  had  cast 
his  first  vote  that  morning  for  moderator.  The  can- 
vass became  quite  exciting,  and  the  two  candidates 
did  not  lack  interest  in  the  proceedings.  In  the 
height  of  the  exeftement  the  Democratic  candidate 
approached  his  competitor  and  offered 'to  exchange 
votes  with  him.  This  proposition  was  flatly  refused, 
and  supplemented  with  the  remark, — -'that  he  did 
not  propose  to  be  cheated  bv  such  a  transaction/1 
This  reply  was  promptly  resented,  as  it  had  a  right 
to  be,  from  the  standpoint  in  which  it  had  been  re- 
ceived.    For  no  one  who  knew  that  young  rnan 


HO  HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 

would  question  for  a  moment  that  if  he  had  in  ex- 
change for  his  own  vote,  taken  the  one  for  his  Whig 
opponent,  he  would  have  most  sacredly  deposited 
it  in  the  ballot  box.  And  when  a  demand  was 
made  for  the  reason  for  making  sueh  an  insinuation, 
a  most  positive  denial  was  made  of  having  done 
so.  But  when  asked  what  he  did  mean,  he  said: 
"You  would  have  had  a  chance  to  vote  for  a  loyal 
Whig,  and  I  should  be  compelled  to  vote  for  a 
Democrat.''  The  Whig  then  stepped  up  to  the 
polls  and  cast  a  vote  for  himself  amidst  hearty 
cheers.  And  when  the  votes  were  counted  and  it 
was  found  that  he  was  elected  by  an  increased  ma- 
jority, more  than  one  attributed  his  election  to  that 
reply. 

These  plantation  meetings  proved  of  real  benefit 
to  the  new  settlement,  by  reason  of  their  bringing 
together  the  two  distinct  and  separate  classes  who 
made  up  this  settlement:  those  who  were  made 
citizens  and  voters  by  the  Webster-Ashburton 
treaty  and  those  who  came  here  from  "outside" 
(anywhere  beyond  the  long  and  dreary  woods 
from  Mattawamkeag  Point  to  Houlton).  In  1840 
these  two  classes  were  absolutely  distinct  and  sepa- 
rate from  each  other:  the  one  here  by  authority 
from  the  British  crown,  and  in  hearty  sympathy 
with  their  customs  and  institutions;  the  other  loyal 
to  and  proud  of  their  Americanism  and  Republican 
institutions,      Something  more  alluring  than   the 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  113 

setting  up  of  a  government  Cor  which  they  had  no 
respect,  was  required  to  call  them  out,  and  the 
political  excitement  and  party  opposition  was  a 
valuable  adjunct  in  bringing  this  really  foreign 
element  into  harmony  and  unity  with  their  Ameri- 
can cousins. 

Among  the  active  workers  in  forming  and  bring- 
ing into  harmony  these  distinct  and  separate,  if  not 
opposing  factions,  Capt.  Stephen  B.  Pattee,  Hon. 
John  I).  Trafton,  George  A.  Nurse,  E.  Parlin 
Whitney,  Charles  R.  Paul,  Elbridge  W.  Wa;t- 
and  Aim  on  S.  Richards  were  the  nrjst  successful 
and  efficient  workers.  It  is,  however,  extremely 
doubtful  if  they  would  have  succeeded  if  it  had 
not  been  for  the  setting  up  of  a  new  line  of  differ- 
ences and  fighting  their  battles  on  party  lines. 

While  agitation  and  discussion  of  part)'  politics 
went  on,  not  only  at  election  times  but  through 
the  year;  and  the  tariff,  the  national  bank,  and 
internal  improvements  became  interesting  subjects 
for  evening  discussion  at  home,  among  neighbors, 
and  in  the  lumber  camps;  they  did  not  disturb 
social   relations  or  personal  friendship. 

The  real  importance  and  social  power  of  the 
plantation  meetings  will  never  be  appreciated,  save 
by  those  who  were  active  participants,  careful 
observers  and  earnest  students,  not  only  of  the 
institution  itself,  but  of  its  influence  upon  the  entire 
community:    and    then    onlv  when  thev  come  to 


114  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

realize  that  its  mystic  power  has  made  of  these 
conflicting  elements  one  people,  broader  in  their 
opinions,  more  liberal  in  their  principles  and  more 
devoted  to  their  country  and  their  homes. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  II 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

A    MOOSE    HUNT. 

In  the  fall  of  1844  some  of  the  Maple  Grove  set- 
tlers had  seen  tracks  and  other  marks  that  con- 
vinced them  that  there  were  moose  near  by.  The 
following  March,  with  over  four  feet  of  snow  and 
a  good  crust,  they  organized  a  moose  hunt.  One 
or  two  of  the  party  had  seen  a  bear  and  a  wolf 
among  the  mountains  of  old  Oxford  county.  With 
these  exceptions,  the  fox  and  the  rabbit  were  the 
largest  wild  game  the}'  had  ever  seen,  and  the  hab- 
its of  the  moose  and  the  manner  of  hunting  them 
were  wholly  unknown.  The  party  of  five,  with 
two  old  firelocks  and  an  equal  number  of  dogs,  had 
proceeded  but  a  short  distance  when  they  found 
old  tracks  in  the  snow,  broken  twigs  and  here  and 
there  bark  gnawed  from  small  trees.  Soon  the 
tracks  began  to  look  new,  but  nothing  answering  to 
the  hunters'  idea  of  a  moose  yard  put  in  an  appear- 
ance. In  fact,  nothing  short  of  seeing  the  snow 
trodden  down  as  completely  as  it  was  in  their  barn- 
yard, would  have  come  up  to  their  idea  of  a  moose 
yard.     Not  one  of  the  party  had  the  least  idea  that 


Il6  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

a  moose  was  within  a  mile  of  them,  when,  coming 
up  over  a  knoll,  they  saw  standing  not  four  rods 
away,  three  moose,  and  the  two  dogs,  quietly  look- 
ing at  each  other.  Evidently  this  was  the  first  ex- 
pcrience  of  the  moose  and  clogs,  as  it  was  of  the 
hunters  of  the  sight  before  them.  The  moose  had 
to  choose  between  standing  their  ground,  and  start- 
ing out  through  four  feet  of  snow  with  a  crust  that 
cut  like  a  knife.  The  dogs,  who  had  approached 
very  much  nearer  than  the  hunters  cared  to  do, 
appeared  to  have  the  entire  attention  of  the  moose. 
As  the  hunters  leveled  their  two  old  firelocks,  at 
least  one  of  the  party  felt  a  greater  desire  to  climb 
a  tree,  than  to  follow  up  the  moose,  or  even  to  re- 
main unprotected  at  so  short  a  distance  from  the 
three  wild,  ungainly  looking  animals  before  them. 
Only  one  of  the  guns  responded  to  the  call  that  was 
made,  but  that  was  enough  to  send  the  three  moose 
through  the  deep  snow,  breaking  through  the  hard 
crust  at  everv  step.  The  dogs  now  began  to  under- 
stand the  part  they  were  to  play,  and  at  the  distance 
oi  ten  rods  brought  the  wounded  moose  to  bay,  and 
a  well  directed  shot  soon  ended  his  life.  The  dogs 
were  soon  upon  their  track,  and  in  less  than  half  a 
mile  held  up  the  second  moose,  which  was  killed, 
but  not  until  he  had  seriously  wounded  the  best 
dog.  The  only  dog  that  proved  to  be  of  any  use 
being  wounded  and  unable  to  make  any  better  time 
than  the   men   on   snowshoes,  the   chase  was  soon 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  I  I  7 

given  up,  and  the  part}'  returned  to  their  homes 
well  satisfied  with  their  day's  hunt.  The  next 
morning  a  part  of  the  original  hunting  party,  under 
the  pretence  of  bringing  in  the  hides  and  the  re- 
mainder of  the  meat,  started  in  pursuit  of  the  other 
moose.  After  going  a  little  over  a  mile  from  where 
thev  left  the  tracks  the  day  before,  the}'  came  up- 
on the  moose  in  a  little  clump  of  evergreen  trees, 
too  lame  and  sore  to  make  another  start  through 
the  deep  snow  and  hard  crust.  One  or  two  good 
shots  brought  down  the  game,  which  proved  to  be 
an  old  cow  moose,  nearly  or  quite  as  large  as  both 
of  the  two-year-olds  killed  the  day  before. 

Thus  ended  the  moose  hunt,  the  inexperienced 
hunters  believing  thev  had  killed  all  that  were  in 
the  yard.  But  in  this  they  were  mistaken,  as  it 
afterwards  appeared.  Before  any  of  the  moose 
were  seen,  the  leader  of  the  herd  became  alarmed 
and  broke  away  from  his  companions,  and  made 
for  the  lowlands  at  the  head  of  the  Fitzherbert 
brook,  where  a  more  experienced  hunter  succeed- 
ed in  securing  him  a  few  days  later.  While  the 
moose  meat  was  a  most  desirable  addition  to  the 
scantv  larders  of  several  pioneer  families,  the  ex- 
citement of  the  chasa  prepared  the  way  for  raids  up- 
on moose,  caribou  and  deer,  that  soon  drove  them 
from  this  and  the  town  south  of  us,  and  was  a  hap- 
py diversion  from  the  quiet  of  the  long  and  dreary 
winters. 


Il8  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

INTERESTING    FACTS. 

We  arc  not  able  to  obtain  a  full  list  of  prices  in 
the  Aroostook  at  an  early  day,  but  in  183 1  a  store 
was  opened  at  the  mouth  of  the  Aroostook  river  in 
New  Brunswick  where  they  bought  pine  timber 
of  the  settlers  at  $3  per  ton  and  paid  in  goods 
at  the  following  prices:  Inferior  prints  50  cents 
per  yard.  They  tore  webs  of  sheeting  in  two 
lengthwise,  and  sold  it  half  width  at  50  cents  per 
yard.  Tobacco  at  $1.50  per  pound,  boots  from 
$8  to  $9  per  pair,  flour  at  $16  and  herring  at  $18 
per  barrel. 

PATRIOTISM. 

Love  of  country  and  devotion  to  its  institutions 
induced  Captain  John  B.  Wing  to  start  out  on  a 
horse  back  ride  of  fifty  miles  to  cast  his  vote  for 
State  and  county  officers;  at  Presque  Isle  he  was 
joined  by  Mr.  D.  K.  Hobart.  The}'  had  gone 
but  a  little  over  a  mile  when  they  came  to  a  small 
chopping  belonging  to  Mr.  Almon  S.  Richards. 
Mr.  Richards  had  no  horse  to  ride,  but  by  an  ac- 
comodating arrangement  they  "rode  and  tied,''  and 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  1 1 9 


the  two  horses  took  the  three  men  to  Iloulton  in 
time  to  vote.  All  three  of  these  men  were  among 
the  first  voters  at  the  Presque  Isle  plantation 
election  the  same  year. 

JUSTICE  OF  THE  PEACE. 

In  the  spring  of  1841  John  B.  Wing  and  William 
Johnston  were  appointed  Justices  of  the  Peace  and 
Almon  S.  Richards  Deputy  Sheriff.  He  held 
this  office  for  two  years,  and  in  1843  Joseph  Fox 
was  appointed,  and  in  1844  Charles  W.  Doughty. 
In  1843  Daniel  Libby  held  the  office  of  Justice  of 
the  Peace.  Some  of  the  earliest  marriages  in  the 
valley  were  performed  by  him  and  William  John- 
ston, who  were  both  very  popular  with  the  young 
people  of  that  day. 

THE    MAIL. POST  OFFICE. 

The  nearest  post  office  in  1840  was  at  Iloulton, 
and  arrangements  was  entered  into  by  the  volun- 
teers with  David  Bubar,  to  go  to  Iloulton  once  in 
two  weeks  raid  bring  them  mail  and  take  their 
letters  there  to  mail.  These  trips  were  all  made 
on  foot  and  the  mail  bag  returned  on  his  back. 

In  the  spring  of  1841  Daniel  Libby  agreed  to 
carry  the  mail  at  Sio  per  trip,  but  was  not  obliged 
to  go  cftener  then  ence  in  four  weeks,  and  the 
same  season  Warren  A.  Johnston  was  appointed 
special  messenger  for  the  United  States  officers, 
and  made  trips  to  Iloulton  as  the  business  of  the 
post    required.     This   service  was   strictly  lor   the 


126  HIS  TORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


regulars  who  came  here  in  September  1841,  and 
consisted  of  a  company  of  United  States  Infantry 
under  command  of  Captain  Van  Ness,  with 
Lieutenants  Michaels,  Ricketts,  and  McCall;  Dr. 
Cool  idge,  surgeon;  Majcr  Graham,  paymaster;  and 
W.  11.  Cary,  commissary.  These  troops  re- 
mained here  until  September,  1843,  when  they 
were  ordered  to  Eastport  and  subsequently  to  the 
Rio  Grande,  and  to  participate  in  the  war  with 
Mexico. 

FIRST    MIFF. 

In  the  winter  of  1840,  Dudley  F.  Leavitt  secured 
a  grant  of  three  thousand  acres  of  land  in  this  town- 
ship,  upon  the  condition  of  building  a  mill  for  the 
benefit  of  the  settlers.  Leavitt  sold  out  to  Pattee 
and  Frisbee,  and  in  the  fall  of  1841  the  mill  was  so 
nearly  completed  that  they  commenced  sawing.  In 
1842  the  firm  was  changed  to  Pattee  and  Hay  ward. 

THE    FIRST    FIOUSE. 

The  first  framed  house  built  in  the  township  is 
now  occupied  by  Mr.  A.  P.  Wellington.  It  was 
built  by  James  Fitzherbert  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Fitzherbert  brook,  and  was  the  one  from  which 
Land  Agent  Mclntyre  was  captured  in  the  Aroos- 
took war.  The  first  house  built  by  private  enter- 
prise was  the  Pattee  house,  built  of  squared  hewn 
timber,  and  for  several  years  occupied  by  Hon. 
Jesse  Drew.     It  is  a   low,   red   house,  in   front   of 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRfflELD. 


123 


which  arc  two  large  tamarac  trees,  at  the  lower  vil- 
lage. 

The  first  houses  built  and  occupied  by  young 
married  people,  were,  a  double  house  at  the  lower 
village  built  by  E.  \Y.  Waite  and  Almon  S.  Rich- 
ards, and  Capt.  John  B.  Wing's  house,  the  first  on 
the  north  side  of  Presque  Isle  street. 
Till-:    FIRST    MINISTER. 

The  first  minister  to  visit  the  Aroostook  was 
Rev.  J.  G.  Pingree,  of  the  East  Maine  Conference 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Pingree's 
circuit  extended  from  Masardis  to  the  boundary. 
At  the  Fort  he  was  cordially  received  and  liberally 
paid,  and  found  some  earnest  Methodists.  We  have 
no  record,  but  the  probabilities  are  that  he  organ- 
ized a  Methodist  class  while  here,  in  the  summer 
of  1839. 

THE  FIRST  ORGANIZED  CHURCH. 

Rev.  Mr.  Merrill,  Congregation  list,  was  sent  here 
by  the  Maine  Missionary  Society  in  the  summer  of 

1844.      I  lis   labors    were   very    successful,    and    he 
found  devoted  friends  in  the   new  settlement. 

In  the  summer  of  1844,  in  a  small  log  house  in 
the  Maple  Grove  settlement,  he  organized  what  has 
since  become  the  strong  and  influential  Congre- 
gational Church  oi'  Fort  Fairfield. 

THE  FIRST   SETTLED  MINISTER. 

Rev.     Alphonso    Rogers     was     the    first  settled 


J  24  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

minister  in  the  township.  lie  secured  a  grant  of 
a  lot  of  land  from  the  State,  which  he  soon  sold,  as 
he  had  already  loeated  a  lot  in  a  good  Methodist 
neighborhood.  The  lot  granted  to  Elder  Rogers 
is  the  one  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Mr.  Harry 
G.  Town  send. 

THE  FIRST  SCHOOL. 

Charles  Stiver,  one  of  the  "civil  posse,"  taught 
the  first  sehool  in  Fort  Fairfield  in  the  winter  of 
1839-40.  This  sehool  was  kept  in  a  log  building 
on  the  Fort  Hill,  and  was  eomposed  of  the  follow- 
ing families,  viz :  William  Johnston,  Nathan  John- 
ston, James  Fitzherbert,  John  Dorsey,  Abel  Hum- 
phry, John  Rediker  and  David  Burtzell. 

FIRST  BABIES. 

The  first  male  ehild  born  in  Fort  Fairfield  was 
Edward,  son  of  John  Dorsey,  born  in  1825,  the  first 
baby  born  to  any  coming  after  or  in  eonneetion 
with  the  war,  was  a  girl  baby  at  the  United  States 
officers'  quarters  on  Fcrt  Hill,  and  claimed  for 
her  parents,  Lieutenant  and  Mrs.  James  Ricketts, 
and  was  christened  "Aristine,"  that  being  the  pro- 
nunciation given  by  the  early  settlers  to  the  Aroos- 
took. 

THE  FIRST     DEATH. 

The  first  to  meet  the  dread  distroyer  in  the  new 
settlement  was  John  Bubar,  of  whom  an  early 
settler  savs:      "He  died  in  October,  TcSiS,  and  w/is 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  1 25 


buried  upon  the  bank  of  the  Aroostook  river.  I 
split  a  pine  tree  into  boards  and  hewed  and  planed 
them  for  his  coffin;  he  being  the  first  human  being 
who  died  in  what  is  now   Fort  Fairfield." 


llG  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD, 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

WRITTE  X     R  ECOR  I). 

The  first  record  of  Letter  D  plantation,  except  the 
simple  fact  of  organization,  and  election  returns  in 
the  office  of  the  secretary  of  State,  in  which  the  first 
board  of  officers  was  given,  is  a  warrant  issued  by 
II.  W.  Ilvde,  E.  W.  Hoyt  and  Thomas  Flannery, 
assessors  of  Letter  D  plantation,  to  Mark  Trafton 
Jr.,  constable,  requesting  him  to  warn  the  legal 
voters  to  meet  at  the  school  house  near  Fort  Fair- 
field on  Monday^  the  nth  day  of  April,  1853,  to 
act  on  the  following  articles: 

1  st.  To  choose  a  Moderator  to  preside  at  said 
meeting. 

2d.  To  choose  a  Plantation  Clerk. 

3rd.  To  choose  three  Assessors. 

4th.  To  choose  a  School  Committece. 

5th.  To  choose  a  Treasurer. 

6th.  To  choose  Constables. 

7th.  To  choose  Surveyors  of  Lumber. 

8th.  To  see  what  action  the  Plantation  will  take 
in  regard  to  the  legal  sale  of  spirituous  liquors. 


HISTORY    OF    TORT   FAIRTTKLl).  12 


This  was  dated  the  fourth  day  of  April,  1853,  and 
attested  to  by  II.  W.  Hyde,  plantation  clerk. 

At  this  meeting.  Porter  E.  Ross  was  chosen 
moderator;     Henry   W.     Hyde,   clerk,   Almon  S. 

Richards,  Porter  E.  Ross  and  James  Bishop,  as- 
sessors, Rev.  E.  Knight  and  Osco  A.  Ellis,  school 
committee;  C.  II.  Ellis,  tax  collector  (and  not  one 
dollar  of  money  was  voted  to  be  collected) ;  C,  II. 
Ellis,  Charles  Harmon  and  Stephen  E.  Phipps, 
constables;  and  E.  W.  Waite  and  Jesse  S.  Averill, 
surveyors  of  lumber.  On  the  eighth  article  of  the 
warrant  it  was  voted,  "that  a  man  be  appointed  by 
the  assessors  as  a  legal  agent  for  the  sale  of 
spirituous  liquors,  for  medical  and  mechanical  pur- 
poses/' 

The  only  other  plantation  meeting  was  at  the 
September  election,  when  139  votes  were  cast  for 
governor.  At  this  meeting  Stephen  B.  Pattec  re- 
ceived one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  votes  for 
representative  to  the  legislature,  being  thirty-eight 
more  than  the  party  candidate  secured  for  gov- 
ernor. 

In  1854,  Addison  Powers  was  moderator;  II.  W, 
Hyde,  clerk;  and  Freeman  Ellis,  Jr.,  Jonathan 
Ilopkinson  and  Jesse  S.  Averill,  assessors.  At 
this  meeting  Mark  Trafton,  Jr.,  was  chosen  con- 
stable and  collector,  but  as  in  the  year  before  no 
money  was  raised  to  be  collected. 

At  the  March  meeting  in  185 5    Addison  Powers 


1 28  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

was  again  chosen  moderator,  and  Bradford  Cum- 
mings,  clerk;  Freeman  Ellis,  Jr.,  Addison  Powers 
and  A.  I.  Rollins,  assessors. 

At  this  meeting  there  were  two  articles  looking 
to  the  raising  of  money.  One  for  making  and  re- 
pairing roads  and  one  for  the  support  of  schools. 
The  first  was  passed  over  without  action,  and  a 
vote  was  taken  to  raise  four  hundred  dollars  for  the 
support  of  schools,  and  carried,  but  at  this  meeting 
as  well  as  the  two  preceeding  it,  although  an 
article  in  the  warrant  called  for  the  election  of  a 
treasurer,  no  record  is  found  that  would  indicate 
that  anyone  had  been  chosen. 

On  the  7th  of  May,  1855,  a  second  plantation 
meeting  was  held,  at  which  Edward  S.  Fowler  was 
chosen  moderator,  and  it  was  voted  to  raise  four 
hundred  dollars  for  the  support  of  schools  and  six 
hundred  to  make  and  repair  roads,  and  the  superin- 
tending school  committee  and  assessors  were 
made  a  committee  to  divide  the  plantation  into 
school  districts.  At  this  meeting  Bradford  Cum- 
mings  was  chosen  plantation  treasurer. 

At  the  March  meeting  of  1856,  Henry  W.  Hyde 
was  chosen  moderator,  Bradford  Cummings,  clerk, 
and  II.  W.  Hyde,  Osco  A.  Ellis  and  Eben  Richard- 
son, assessors.  At  this  meeting  four  hundred 
dollars  was  raised  for  the  support  of  schools,  one 
thousand  dollars  for  roads,  and  one  hundred  dollars 
to  defray  plantation  charges. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  1 2i) 

At  this  meeting  the    warrant   made  no  provision 

For  the  election  of  a  plantation  treasurer,  and 
strange  as  it  may  appear,  the  records  show  no  action 
in  regard  to  that   matter. 

At  this  meeting  it  was  voted  to  hold  future 
plantation  meetings  at  the  "Black  Schoolhouse," 
(at  the  mouth  of  the  Maple  Grove  road). 

On  the  24th  day  of  March,  a  called  meeting  was 
held  at  the  "Black  Schoolbo^se,"  at  which  a  num- 
ber of  changes  were  made  in  the  scho:)l  districts, 
but  no  treasurer  was  chosen. 

At  the  March  meeting  of  1857,  Hiram  Stevens 
was  chosen  moderator,  and  William  F.  Hopkinson 
clerk;  E.  Knight,  Hiram  Stevens  and  B.  Cum- 
mings  assessors,  and  William  F.  Hopkinson  treas- 
urer. 


130  HISTORY  OF  FORT  .FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE    FORT    IN     1 843. 

In  the  spring  of  1843,  the  boom  that  had  been 
placed  in  the  river  to  stop  trespass  timber,  had  been 
sold  by  the  State  authorities,  and  was  being  hauled 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Aroostook  to  be  used  for  hold- 
ing timber  and  logs,  so  that  they  could  be  rafted 
before  running  them  to  the  St.  John  market.  The 
snow  had  fallen  to  a  great  depth,  and  teams  were 
unable  to  get  supplies  in  to  their  camps,  and  were 
compelled  by  the  first  ol  April  to  move  out. 

William  Johnston  was  keeping  a  public  house 
on  a  small  scale,  but  fullv  up  to  the  demands  of 
the  new  country,  under  ordinary  circumstances; 
but  on  account  of  cutting  the  boom  from  the  ice, 
and  teams  and  crews  coming  out  of  the  woods,  his 
house  was  crowded  to  overflowing. 

In  addition  to  the  usual  company  that  made  up 
the  little  settlement,  the  last  of  March  Capt.  John 
I).  Wing  returned  from  Piscataquis  county,  with 
his  young  wife,  a  brother  in  law  and  a  friend,  Mr. 
Charles  W.  Doughty,  who  had  also  a  lew  weeks 
before  married  a  wife.  Early  in  April  a  party  of 
four,  who   had   come  to   make   homes   in  the  new 


THE  J.  B.  WILLIAMS  BLOCK. 


THE  CUTTS  AND  SCATES  BLOCK. 


HISTORY    OK    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  133 

country,  were  added  to  the  number  of  guests  at 
"Johnston's."  To  say  that  there  was  a  houseful  is 
not  putting  it  any  too  strongly. 

Pattee  and  Ilayward  were  keeping  store  at  the 
lower  village.  Capt.  Wing  was  doing  some  trad- 
ing, but  on  a  very  small  seale.  J.  Hoi  man  Gary 
was  eommissarv  on  the  Fort  Hill.  There  was  a 
log  house  a  few  rods  from  where  Mrs.  M.  A.  East- 
man's house  now  stands,  a  blockhouse,  and  eook- 
house  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  near  where  Mr.  A. 
P.  Libby's  buildings  stand;  Mr.  Johnston's  tavern, 
where  Mr.  T.  A.  Fisher's  residence  stands,  and  the 
stable  opposite,  on  the  north  side  of  the  road;  Mr. 
John  Dorsey's  log  house,  near  where  the  C.  P.  R. 
depot  now  stands,  and  a  timber  house  and  store 
combined  at  the  lower  village,  and  Fitzherbert's 
house  at  the  mouth  of  the  Fitzherbert  brook.  Be- 
sides the  fort,  officers  and  soldiers'  quarters,  eom- 
missarv store,  blacksmith  shop  and  eookhouse  on 
Fort  Hill,  these  constituted  all  of  Fort  Fairfield 
in  the  spring  of  1843.  Along  the  river  banks  in 
very  small  clearings  were,  of  the  most  humble  kind, 
the  homes  of  the  first  settlers. 

In  the  spring  of  1843  there  were,  in  the  territory 
now  embraced  in  the  town  of  Fort  Fairfield,  the 
following  settlers,- — and  possibly  others  whose 
names  we  have  failed  to  obtain, — viz:  William 
Johnston,  Stephen  B.  Pattee,  J.  B.  Wing,  Elbridge 
W.  Waife,    Almon   S.   Richards,   Hiram  Stevens, 


1^4  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

William  Whitney,  Levi  Ilovt,  Jonathan  Ilopkin- 
son,  Daniel  G.  Palmer,  Benjamin  D.  Eastman,  Otis 
Eastman,  Henry  C.  Currier,  Orrin  Whitney,  E. 
Parlin  Whitney,  Freeman  Ellis,  Jr.,  Isaae  F.  Ellis, 
Addison  Powers,  Edward  S.  Fowler,  Daniel  Lib- 
by,  Nathan  Johnston,  James  Fitzherbert,  Samuel 
Fitzherbert,  Nicholas  Dee,  William  Turner,  James 
Campbell,  Daniel  Campbell,  John  Dorsey,  William 
Jones,  Calvin  P.  Stevens,  John  Rediker,  George 
Rediker,  Gideon  Deering,  Charles  Walton,  Joseph 
Barnes,  Cornelius  Lyon,  William  Iloulton,  Daniel 
Tucker,  Sanibrd  Johnson,  John  M.  Hunt,  Octave 
Carnie,  Edward  Johnston, Chase,  Jesse  S.  Aver- 
ill,  Stephen  E.  Phipps,  Charles  Haines,  Charles  W. 
Doughty,  Caleb  H.  Ellis,  A.  W.  Clark, Brag- 
don,  Josiah  Hunting,  Samuel  Work,  Miehael  Mc- 
Kinney.  Alexander  McDougald,  Martin  Murray, 
Joseph  Nelson,  John  Argrave,  Abel  Humphrey,  Jo- 
seph Fisher,  Andrew  Welsh,  Samuel  Varney,  Da- 
vid Burtzell,  Francis  Boulier,  Amos  Bishop,  Will- 
iam Bishop,  Joseph  Findland,J.  Ilolman  Cary,  and 
the  offieers  and  company  of  of  United  States  In- 
fantry stationed  on  the  hill.  The  land  adjoining 
the  State  road  had  all  been  taken  by  aetual  settlers, 
and  all  the  centre  road  (Maple  Grove)  within  one 
mile  of  the  south  line  of  the  township,  and  Henry 
C.  Currier  had  commenced  a  house  north  of  the 
State  road,  and  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  centre 
line  road.     The  improvements  upon  the  lots  varied 


tUSTOkV   OlP    FOfef    FAlkFlELt).  t$$ 


from  the  falling  of  a  few  trees  to  hold  possession, 
to  a  comfortable  house  and  an  opening  of  ten  acres, 
but  the  improvement  would  scarceh' average  more 
than  a  small  log  house  and  a  clearing  of  five  acres 
of  land. 


136  HISTORY   OF    FORT  .FAIRFIELD, 


CHAPTER  XX. 

WRITTEN   RECORD CONTINUED. 

On  Monday  March  29th,  1858,  the  last  plantation 
meeting  was  held  at  the  Black  Schoolhouse. 

Edward  S.  Fowler  was  chosen  moderator; 
Henry  W.  Hyde  and  O.  A.  Ellis,  assessors;  and 
on  the  same  day  the  secretary  of  State  certified 
that  an  act  to  incorporate  the  town  of  Fort  Fair- 
field had  passed  the  legislature  and  been  signed 
by  Governor  Lot  M.  Morrill,  and  on  the  19th 
day  of  April,  1858,  a  tewn  meeting  was  held 
to  perfect  the  organization  and  elect  town  officers. 
Edward  S.  Fowler,  moderator;  II.  W.  Hyde,  town 
clerk;  O.  A.  Ellis,  Frederick  Ellis  and  William  F. 
Ilopkinson,  selectmen,  assessors  and  overseers  of 
the  poor;  Thomas  Hovt  was  chosen  town  treasurer 
and  Freeman  Ellis,  Jr.,  town  agent. 

At  this  hj*st  town  meeting  only  $250  was 
raised  for  schools  and  $800  for  the  highways  and 
bridges. 

The  following  men,  good  and  true,  were  pre- 
sented as  a  juror  list  and  accepted  by  the  town,  viz: 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  137 

Jesse  Drew,  Hiram  Stevens,  George  W.  Haines, 
Stillman  Gordon,  Levi  Hovt,  John  F.  Ellis,  Henry 
C.  Currier  and  Enoch  W.  Hoyt. 

The  original  act  of  incorporation  of  the  town  of 
Fort  Fairfield,  made  the  Aroostook  river  in  place 
of  the  township  line,  the  north  line  of  the  town.  By 
this  action  a  few  lots  in  Letter  D  were  attached  to 
Sarsfield  plantation  and  so  much  of  the  original 
Plymouth  Grant  as  lay  south  of  the  river,  a  part  of 
Fort  Fairfield. 

We  have  no  means  of  determining  the  exact 
population  of  the  town  at  this  time,  but  do  not 
think  it  materially  differed  from  a  pro  rata  increase 
from  1850  to  i860,  which  would  make  it  eight 
hundred.  In  i860  it  was  nine  hundred  and  one,  with 
one  hundred  and  sixtv-seven  polls  with  a  valuation 
of  $75,975.  In  1859,  Jesse  S.  Avcrill  was  moder- 
ator; II.  W.  Hyde,  clerk;  William  F.  Ilopkinson, 
Jesse  Drew  and  George  W.  Haines,  selectmen. 

For  the  March  meeting  of  i860,  the  warrant  was 
issued  to  Freeman  Ellis  Jr.,  constable,  and  signed 
by  William  F.  Ilopkinson,  Jesse  Drew  and  George 
W.  Haines,  selectmen. 

At  the  town  meeting  on  March  26,  i860,  Still- 
man  Gordon  was  chosen  moderator;  Henry  W. 
Hyde,  clerk;  William  F. Ilopkinson,  Albion  P.  Wel- 
lington and  Frederick  Ellis,  selectmen;  voted  to 
raise  $1,650,  as  follows,  viz:  $450  for  the  support 
of  schools,  $i;000  for  the  repair  of  highways  and 


138  History  of  foIit  Fairfield. 

$200  to  defray  town  expenses. 

For  the  March  meeting  of  1865  the  warrant  was 
issued  to  David  N.  Ross,  constable;  and  signed  by 
William  Small,  A.  C.  Cary  and  Jesse  S.  Averill, 
selectmen. 

At  this  town  meeting  held  March  13,  1865,  C.  II. 
Ellis  was  chosen  moderator;  Henry  W.Hyde,  clerk; 
William  Small,  A.  C.  Cary  and  J.  II.  Randall, 
selectmen.  At  this  meeting  voted  to  raise  $3,- 
725,  viz :  For  schools  $700,  for  roads  v$2,5oo,  for  the 
town  poor  $275,  and  for  town  expenses  $250. 

This  meeting  adjourned  to  meet  in  two  weeks. 
At  the  adjourned  meeting  J.  II.  Randall  was  ex- 
cused from  serving  as  selectman  and  Addison 
Powers  was  chosen  to  fill  the  vacancy.  Voted  to 
buy  the  schoolhousc  from  district  No.  3  for  $450, 
and  authorized  the  selectmen  to  issue  town  orders 
to  pay  for  the  same.  Voted  to  raise  $160  towards 
the  payment  of  a  town  house. 

In  1865  the  demand  for  a  bridge  over  the  Aroos- 
took river  had  become  so  urgent  that  the  matter 
was  brought  before  the  legislature  and  an  appro- 
priation obtained  to  aid  in  that  work  to  the  amount 
of  $2,500. 

Plymouth  Grant,  which  had  become  an  organized 
plantation  and  known  as  Sarstield  plantation,  in 
the  winter  of  1867,  was,  by  an  act  of  the  legisla- 
ture, annexed  to  the  town  of  Fort  Fairfield. 

The  first  annual   meeting  of  the  original  Letter 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  I39 

D,  Range  i,and  Plvmouth  Grant  united  and  organ- 
ized  by  legislative   enactments   into   the    town    of 
Fort  Fairfield,  was   held   in  the   town   hall   in  the 
village  of  Fort  Fairfield,  March  25th,  1867. 

At  this  meeting  J.  B.  Trafton,  Esq.,  was  chosen 
moderator;  Henry  W.  Hyde,  clerk;  William  Small, 
Hiram  Stevens  and  A.  S.  Townsend,  selectmen; 
II.  W.  Hyde,  treasurer.  At  this  meeting  $5,900 
was  raised  as  follows:  For  schools  $1,100,  for  the 
poor  $350,  to  defray  town  charges  $450,  for  roads 
and  bridges  $4,000;  and  voted  that  Isaac  I  lacker, 
Hiram  Stevens,  Bradford  Cu minings,  Henry  W. 
Hyde  and  Elbridge  J.  Pattee  be  a  committee  to 
solicit  subscriptions  to  aid  in  building  a  bridge 
across  the  Aroostook  river  at  or  near  the  village 
of  Fort  Fairfield  in  conjunction  with  the  appropria- 
tion by  the  State  legislature,  with  power  to  hold 
the  town  responsible  for  a  part  of  the  amount 
necessary,  and  at  their  discretion  to  commence  the 
work. 

At  a  town  meeting  held  September  24,  1857,  it 
was  voted  to  extend  the  time  for  completing  the 
piers  and  abutments  of  the  bridge. 

At  the  March  meeting  in  1868,  the  committee 
was  given  full  power  to  close  a  contract  with 
James  Doyle  and  to  go  forward  with  the  construc- 
tion of  the  bridge. 

In  November,  1868,  at  a  special  town  meeting, 
it  became  necessary  to  authorize  the  bridge  com- 


4-0  HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


mittee  to  extend  the  time  for  the  completion  of  the 

bridge,  if  in  their  opinion  it  was  expedient.  The 
time  was  extended  and  the  following  year  this 
most  desirable  object  was  accomplished. 

The  increase  in  population  and  children  of  school 
age  made  the  adjustment  of  school  district  lines 
one  of  the  most  difficult  questions  to  consider,  and 
was  the  cause    of    several    special    plantation    and 


town  meetings. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  143 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

W  K  I TTE  X    I  [ISTOR  V — CONTIJS  I"  I-:  I ). 

In  1870,  A.  P.  Wellington,  Isaac  I  lacker  and 
R.  S.  Iloyt,  were  selectmen.  The  total  value  of  real 
estates  was  $155,576,  and  of  personal  estates  $66,- 
949  and  the  total  assessment  was  $7,159.38.  This 
year  there  was  received  from  the  State  treasurer 
on  account  of  soldiers  furnished  under  the  several 
calls  of  the  President  for  soldiers  to  put  down  the 
rebellion,  $5,678,  and  by  the  treasurer's  report  it 
appears  that  $1,203.12  was  paid  out  to  soldiers. 
The  report  For  this  says: 

"It  is  claimed  by  some,  that  the  town  has  the  right 
to  take  From  the  money  received  the  whole  amount 
it  paid  out  as  bounties,  viz:  $2,636.50. 

•"It  this  construction  oF  the  law  is  correct  there  is 
due  to  soldiers    $  1,838. 

"It  is  also  claimed  by  some  that  the  town  has 
a  right  to  take  onlv  the  amount  it  has  reimbursed, 
viz:  $100  for  the  three  years'  men  to  whom  it  paid 

00  bounty  (or  more),  and  a  like  proportion  for 
8  less  tenu   of   service  viz:    $1800.     If  this   con- 


144  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

struction    of  the    law    is     correct  there    is  due   to 
soldiers,  $2,675.21."     A  foot-note  attached  to  the 

report  of  resources  and  liabilities  says: 

•"These  amounts  will  vary  as  the  amount  due 
soldiers  may  be  altered."  The  above  is  an  acknow- 
ledgement of  being  custodian  of  an  amount  of 
money  received  from  the  State  treasurer  for  a 
specific  purpose.  Subsequently  this  became  a 
subject  of  dispute,  and  the  money  was  appropriated 
to  the  use  of  the  town,  and  remains  unpaid  to  the 
soldiers  until  the  present  time.  At  the  March 
meeting  of  1894,  George  W.  Eastman  revived  the 
whole  subject,  and  made  a  very  able  and  con- 
vincing speech  in  favor  of  appropriating  the  money 
to  the  building  of  a  soldiers'  monument.  There  was 
no  disagreement  as  to  the  justice  of  such  a  proceed- 
ing, but  on  account  of  the  state  of  the  town's  finances, 
it  was  not  thought  advisable  to  make  the  appro- 
priation. Both  the  honor  of  the  town  and  justice 
to  the  deceased  soldiers  and  their  friends  from 
which  it  has  been  withheld,  indicate  that  it  will 
subsequently  be  done. 

In  1  cS 7 5 ,  the  Hon.  N.  Fessenden,  Almon  S. 
Richards  and  I.  F.  Blaisdell  were  chosen  selectmen, 
and  J.  F.  Hacker,  town  treasurer. 

The  cash  assessment  was  $6,021.95,  as  follows: 
for,  school?  $1,510.40,  paupers  $1,000,  town  ex- 
penses $1,200,  free  high  school  $250,  lockup  $150, 
lighting  bridge    $20,     overlaying     $15.55,   supple- 


1 1  STORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  I  45 


mentarv  tax  $4,  State  tax  $1110.80,  county  tax 
$761.20,  and  $6,000  for  the  highways. 

In  August  of  this  year  the  bonds  of  the 
town  were  issued  in  accord  with  the  vote  of  the  town 
at  a  meeting  held  on  iSovember  4,  1874,  In  aid  of  the 
railroad  that  was  then  coming  to  the  town.  These 
bonds  were  to  run  twenty  years  at  six  per  cent. 
semi-annual  interest.  While  it  is  true  that  the  semi- 
annual payment  of  the  interest  and  the  final  payment 
of  the  bond  will  be  a  heavy  tax  upon  the  town,  there 
can  be  no  question  but  it  has  proved  a  valuable  in- 
vestment for  the  inhabitants  of  the  town. 

In  1880  there  were  two  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  seven  inhabitants  in  Fort  Fairfield.  The 
valuation  of  estates  was  $468,471.  N.  Fessenden, 
R.  L.Baker  aid  B  .W.  Conant,  were  selectmen;  W. 
T.  Spear,  clerk;  and  J.  F.  Hacker,  treasurer.  The 
cash  assessment  was  $8,377.52,  as  follows: 

State  tax  $1,387.60,  county  t:ix  $803.30,  schools 
$1,510.40,  poor  one  thousand  dollars,  town  ex- 
penses one  thousand  dollars,  interest  one  thousand 
three  hundred  dollars,  lighting  bridge  $75,  railroad 
sinking  fund  loan  $418.50,  new  roads  $500,  over- 
laying $382.72. 

In  1885,  the  town  made  choice  of  L.  N. 
Richards,  C.  E.  Iloit  and  L.  G.  Richardson,  for 
selectmen;  J.  F.  Hacker,  treasurer;  II.  N.  Good- 
hue, town  clerk;  II.  O.  Perry  supervisor.  The 
valuation  of  estates  was  $549,370,  and  the  number 


1 46  HISTORY    Of?    PORT    I'AIki-TKU). 

of  polls  six  hundred  and  forty:  the  cash  tax  assessed 
for  that  year  was  $13,456.77.  The  State  tax  had 
gone  up  to  $1,762  and  the  county  tax  to  $990,  for 
the  support  of  schools,  $2,245  an'^  for  a  new  school- 
house  in  the  village  $1,600,  a»nd  the  interest  on  the 
bonded  debt  was  $1,750.  The  support  of  the  poor 
now  cost  the  town  about  $1,000  a  year. 

•In  1890  the  census  returns  gave  Fort  Fairfield 
three  thousand*  live  hundred  and  twenty-six  in- 
habitants, seven  hundred  and  five  polls  were  as- 
sessed, and  the  real  estate  was  assessed  at  $464,158 
and  the  personal  property  at  $14(8,100,  making  a 
total  of  $614,258. 

The  cash  tax  for  this  year  was  $15,548.23;  a 
little  over  one  third  of  this  amount  was  included 
in  the  following  five  items,  all  for  the  advance  of 
educational  interest,  viz: 

For  common  schools  $2,800,  lor  free  high  school 
S750,  to  purchase  free  text  books  for  schools  s6oo, 
finishing,  furnishing,  and  repairing  schoolhouses 
$500,  to  build  a  schoolhouse  in  the  Plummer 
district  £600,  giving  a  total  oi  $5,250. 

The  purchase  of  a  town  farm  lor  a  home  for  the 
poor  had  added  somewhat  to  the  immediate  ex- 
pense, but  had  reduced  the  actual  expenses  for  the 
year  nearly  three  hundred  dollars.  The  liberal 
school  policy,  the  great  amount  oi'  roads  .in  the 
town  six  by  twelve  miles  square,  together  with  the 
bridges,  necessarilv  keeps  up  the  amount  oi" 
money  annually   to   be    raised   by    the  tax    payers. 


iiisrouv  of  i-oirr  FAilmin.l). 


HI 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

ACTS    OF    INCORPORATION. 

It  was  not  until  1858  that  definite  action  was 
taken  to  secure  the  organization  of  the  town  of 
Fort  Fairfield,  when  the  following  act  of  incor- 
poration was  passed: 

STATE    OF    MAINE. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and   fifty-eight, 

An  act  to  incorporate  the  town  of  Fort  Fairfield. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  repre- 
sentatives in  Leg- is]  at  are  assembled,  as  follows: 

Section  t.  So  much  of  township  Letter  D,  first 
range  west  from  the  east  line  of  the  State,  in  the 
county  of  Aroostook,  as  lies  south  of  the  Aroos- 
took river,  together  with  as  much  of  the  township 
granted  to  the  town  of  Plymouth,  as  lies  southeast- 
erly of  the  same  river,  is  hereby  incorporated  into 
a  town  by  the  name  of  Fort  Fairfield,  and  the  in- 
habitants of  said  town  are  hereby  vested  with  all 
the  powers,  privileges,  immunities  and  liabilities  of 
inhabitants  of  other  towns. 


I48  HISTORY    OF    FOBT    FAIRFIELD. 

Section  2.  Any  justice  of  the  peace  within  the 
county  of  Aroostook,  is  hereby  empowered  to  issue 
his  warrant  to  some  inhabitant  oi  said  town,  direct- 
ing him  to  notify  the  inhabitants  thereof  to  meet  at 
such  time  and  place  as  he  shall  appoint,  to  choose 
such  officers  as  other  towns  are  empowered  to 
choose  at  their  annual  town  meetings. 

Section  3.  The  town  hereby  created  shall  take 
the  effects  belonging  to  plantation  Letter  D,  and 
shall  also  assume  all  the  obligations  of  said  planta- 
tion. 

Section.  4.  This  act  shall  take  effect  from  and 
after  its  approval  by  the  Governor. 


In  the  House  of  Representatives,  ) 

March  10,  1858.  j 
This   bill,   having    had    three    several   readings, 
passed  to  be  enacted. 

Josiaii  H.  Drummoxd,  Speaker. 


In  the  Senate,  ) 
March  t  1,  1858.  j 
This  bill,  having  had  two  several  readings,  passed 
to  be  enacted. 

Setii  Scammon,  President. 


March  11,  1858, 
Approved, 


Lot  M.  Morriee,  Governor. 


HIS  TORY    OF    FOKT    FAIRFIELD.     .  149 


Secretary  of  State  Office,  ) 
March  29,  1858.  ( 
I  hereby  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  true  copy 
of  the  original  in  this  office. 

Lewis  D.  Moore. 
Dept.  Secretary  of  State. 


On  the  1 2th  day  of  April,  1858,  William  F.  Hop- 
kinson,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  issued  his  warrant 
to  Jonathan  Ilopkinson  for  a  meeting  to  be  held  at 
the  Black  Schoolhouse,  on  Monday,  the  19th  day 
of  April,  at  which  time  and  place  the  meeting  was 
held,  and  the  town  duly  organized  by  the  choice  of 
the  several  town  officers. 

It  was  not  until  the  necessity  of  a  bridge  over 
the  Aroostook  river  had  forced  itself  upon  the  in- 
habitants, that  any  serious  thought  had  been  given 
to  enlarging  the  limits  of  the  newly  organized  town. 
In  the  legislature  of  1867  the  following  action  in 
relation  to  the  new  town  was  taken: 

STATE  OF  MAINE. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred and  sixty-seven. 

An  act  to  annex  Sarstield  plantation  to  the  town 
ol"  Fort  Fairfield, 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  repre- 
sentatives i  1  Legislature  assembled,  as  foltoivs : 

Sectioii  1.  Sarstield  plantation,  composed  of 
Plymouth  Grant  township,  Range  1,  west  from  the 


150  HISTORY  OF  FOKT  FAIRFIELD. 

east  line  of  the  State,  is  hereby  annexed  to  the 
town  of  Fort  Fairfield. 

Section  2.  All  uncollected  taxes  legally  assessed 

in  said  plantation,  shall  be  collected  by  the  collec- 
tor in  said  plantation,  and  paid  over  to  the  treasur- 
er of  said  town,  and  the  highway  surveyor  shall 
account  with  the  selectmen  of  said  town,  the  same 
as  they  are  now  required  to  do  with  the  assessors 
of  said  plantation;  and  said  town  shall  assume  and 
pay  all  debts  and  liabilities  of  even*  description,  of 
said  plantation,  and  may  be  sued  therefore  if  not 
paid  by  them;  and  all  rights  of  said  plantation  in 
lands  sold  or  forfeited  for  taxes  therein  and  not  re- 
deemed are  hereby  transferred  to  said  town  and 
vested  in  them  as  fully  as  the  same  are  now  held 
by  said  plantation. 

Section  3.  The  school  districts  in  said  planta- 
tion shall  remain  as  now  organized  until  altered  In- 
said  town. 

Section  4.  This  act  shall  take  affect  when  ap- 
proved by  the  Governor. 


In  the  House  of  Representatives,  | 

February  11,  1867.  j 
This  bill  having  had  three  several  readings  passed 
to  be  enacted. 

Lewis  Barker,  Speaker. 


In  the  Senate,  ) 
February   12,    1867.  j 
This  bill  having  had  two   several  readings  passed 
to  be  enacted. 

X.  A,  Burpee,  President. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  l^^ 

February  i  2,  1867. 
Approved, 

J.  L.  Chamberlain,  Governor. 

STATE  OF  MAINE. 

Office  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  I 

March  7,  1867.  j 
1  hereby  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  true  copy 
of  the  original  as  deposited  in  this  office. 

James  IT.  Cochrane, 
Dept.  Secretary  of  State. 
At  the  same  session  of  the   legislature  the  fol- 
lowing amended   legislation  to  aid  in  the  building 
of  a  bridge  over  the  Aroostook  river,  was  secured, 
viz: 

STATE  OF   MAIM-:. 

Resolve^  Amending  resolve  entitled  "Resolve  in 
aid  of  building  a  bridge  over  Aroostook  river  at 
Fort  Fairfield/' 

Resolved,  That  the  conditions  of  resolve  en- 
titled "Resolve  in  aid  of  building  a  bridge  over 
Aroostook  river  at  Fort  Fairfield,"  approved  Feb- 
ruary twenty-third,  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty- 
six,  be  so  far  modified  as  to  allow  the  land  agent 
to  pay  the  sum  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars  when  all 
necessary  abutments  and  piers  required  in  the 
erection  of  said  bridge  shall  have  been  completed 
of  said  bridge  and  being  the  amount  in  full  named 
in  said  resolve;  and  said  bridge  may  be  erected 
without  requiring  the  same  to  be  '•covered"  as  im- 
plied in  the  resolve  referred  to;  and  that  before 
the  payment  of  any  sum  of  money  the  selectmen 
of^iidtownof  Fort   Fairfield   shall   certify  10  the 


154  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

land  agent  that  the  abutments  and  piers  have  been 
completed,  and  in  readiness  to  receive  the  super- 
structure, and  in  like  manner  when  said  bridge 
shall  be  completed  according  to  the  intention,  but 
with  the  exception  of  the  covering  required  in  said 
resolve. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives,  \ 
'February  14,  1867.  j 


Read  and  passed 


Lewis  Barker.  Speaker 


Read  and  passed 


In  the  Senate,  ) 
February  16,  1867.  ) 

N.  A.  Burpee,    President. 

February  18,  1867. 
Approved. 

J.  L.  Chamberlain,  Governor. 


In  addition  to  the  above  appropriation,  the  State 
paid  $1,000,  and  the  bridge  when  completed  eost 
about  $6,000.  The  building-  of  the  bridge,  and 
making  passable  the  roads  in  the  town  in  addition 
to  schools  and  other  town  expenses,  proved  a  heavy 
tax  upon  the  inhabitants  of  the  young  town.  The 
records,  however,  show  a  spirit  of  enterprise  and 
liberal  appropriations  for  the  various  demands  made 
upon  them.      In  1870  the  population  was  eighteen 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  I  5 5 


hundred  and  ninety-three,  the  number  of  polls  three 
hundred  and  sixty,  and  the  valuation  $276,800.  At 
the  March  meeting  of  this  year  lion.  J.  B.  Trafton 
was  chosen  moderator,  Henry  W.  Hyde  clerk  and 
A.  P.  Wellington,  Isaac  Hacker  and  R.  L.  Iloyt 
selectmen. 

At  this  meeting  the  town  voted  to  raise  $8,420, 
as  follows:  For  the  support  of  schools  $1,500,  for 
the  support  of  the  poor  $350,  to  extinguish  liabili- 
ties of  the  town  in  constructing  bridge  across  the 
Aroostook  river  $800,  to  cover  the  bridge  $1,000, 
to  pay  for  right  of  way  to  the  bridge  $20,  to  defray 
town  charges  for  the  year  $750,  and  for  the  repair 
of  roads  and  bridges  $4,000.  At  this  meeting  the 
report  of  the  selectmen  and  the  school  committee 
who  had  been  appointed  at  a  subsequent  meeting, 
was  adopted,  by  which  a  careful  and  more  satisfac- 
tory districting  of  the  town  for  school  purposes  was 
made.  The  whole  number  of  school  districts  in 
the  town  was  twenty;  and  the  following  names  were 
presented  to  be  placed  in  the  juror  box,  and  accept- 
ed by  the  town:  Warren  S.  Ames,  Otis  Ames, 
Amos  Bishop,  Asa  C.  Gary,  Joseph  A.  Conant, 
Bradford  Cummings,  Benoin  T.  Durgin,  Charles 
W.  Eastman,  Valentine  M.  Estes,  H.  Lincoln  Fos- 
ter, Noah  Goodrich,  George  W.  Haines,  John  P. 
Holt,  John  Johnston,  Jophannis  II.  Richardson  and 
Jesse  S.  Averill. 


156  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  XXII). 

ENTERPRISE. 

At  an  early  day  some  of  Fort  Fairfield's  enter- 
prising citizens  began  to  realize  the  importance  of 
a  local  newspaper,  and  after  considerable  dis- 
cussion it  was  decided  to  arrange  with  the  Rev. 
Daniel  Stickneywho  for  several  years  had  pub- 
lished the  Sunrise  at  Presque  Isle,  to  publish  a 
paper  for  Fort  Fairfield.  And  in  keeping  with  the 
arrangement  the  Aiiroia,  dated  and  mailed  at  Fort 
Fairfield  and  printed  in  the  Sunrise  office  at 
Presque  Isle,  with  Daniel  Sticknev,  editor,  and 
Mrs.  A.  C.  Paul,  associate  editor,  appeared.  In 
regard  to  the  name  the  first  issue  said  editorially: 

THE   AURORA. 

We  have  been  frequently  asked,  what  signifi- 
cance, fitness  or  appropriateness  is  there  to  the 
name  "Aurora"  ior  a  newspaper?  We  will  ex- 
plain. 

Aurora  signifies  the  dawning  light,  before  sun- 
rise, davbreak,  the  morning.  In  ancient  mythology 
she  was  the  daughter   of  Hyperion   and  Theo,  and 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  Iffl 

sister  of  Sol  and  Luna,  or  of  the  sun  and  moon. 
She  rises  from  the  oeean,  drawn  by  the  eclestial 
horses.  Lampus  and  Phreton,  and  with  rosy  fingers 
raises  the  veil  of  light,  shedding  light  upon  the 
world,  until  she  flies  from  the  splendor  of  day. 

The  above  is  the  definition  and  the  poetieal  idea 
of  Aurora.  Now  lor  its  significance,  its  appropri- 
ateness for  the  name  of  a  paper,  published  at  Fort 
Fairfield. 

This  village  is  farther  north  and  east  than  any 
other  village  in  this  union  in  which  a  newspaper 
is  published.  In  northern  latitudes  Aurora,  or 
the  light  of  morning,  shines  earlier  upon  Fort  Fair- 
field than  upon  any  spot  in  the  United  States  in 
which  a  paper  is  published,  hence  the  appropriate- 
ness of  the  first  paper  published  in  our  village 
being  known  as  the  Aurora. 

A  careful  examination  of  the  file  of  this  paper, 
in  the  office  of  the  clerk  of  courts  at  Iloulton,  shows 
it  to  have  been  a  well  gotten  up  and  ably  conduct- 
ed local  newspaper;  but  to  our  surprise  the  amount 
of  patronage,  as  expressed  through  its  advertising 
columns,  from  the  Fort  Fairfield  business  men,  did 
not  exceed  fifty  dollars.  I  low  much  the  fact  that 
it  was  printed  in  the  Sunrise  office  at  Presque  Isle 
had  to  do  with  lack  of  support,  we  shall  never 
know.  That  it  died  before  six  months  old  is  no 
surprise. 

THE  FIRST  NEWSPAPER. 

In  September,  1875,  with  the  coming  of  the  rail- 
road,  appeared   the   first    newspaper   published   in 


[<8  HISTCRY    CF    I  (  I.T    FAIRFIE1  D. 


Fort  Fairfield.  The  railroad  was  on  the  narrow 
gauge  plan,  but  the  paper  was  a  broad  gauge,  clear- 
cut,  clean  sheet,  rilled  to  overflowing  with  good 
things  of  interest  to  the  people  of  Fort  Fairfield. 

THE  AROOSTOOK  VALLEY  SUNRISE. 

After  more  than  thirteen  years  of  active  news- 
paper life,  the  Piesque  hie  Sunrise  was  removed 
to   Fort   Fairfield    and    christened    the   Aroostook 

Valley  Sunrise,  and  was  the  first  newspaper  ever 
printed  in  the  town.  Judging  from  the  transpiring 
events,  Mr.  Stickney  did  not  meet  with  the  encour- 
agement and  support  he  had  expected.  In  three 
months  from  its  first  appearance  he  sold  out  to  his 
foreman,  Charles  E.  Marshall.  Mr.  Marshall  suc- 
ceeded in  publishing  the  paper  only  three  weeks,  be- 
fore it  failed  up.  Two  months  later  Mr.  Sticknev  was 
again  at  the  helm,  and  the  Sunrise  shedding  light 
on  all  around. 

In  August,  1877,  Mr.  Stickney  finally  sold  out 
the  Sunrise  and  retired  from  the  editorial  field,  and 
Mr.  Edward  A.  Lynde  became  editor  and  proprie- 
tor, and  for  between  one  and  two  years  succeeded 
in  running  the  paper,  some  of  the  time  at  least  at  a 
"poor  dying  rate."  With  the  going  out  of  its  light. 
Fort  Fairfield  was  without  a  local  paper  until  in 
the  summer  of  1891,  Mr.  II.  M,  Orriss  commenced 
the  publication  of  the  Fori  Fairfield  Gazette,  which 
he  succeeded  in  publishing  for  a  little  more  than 
one  year.      In  the  right  hands  his  enterprise  would 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  1 59 


have  proved  a  success.     But  Mr.  Orriss,  who  was 

an  experienced  book-binder,  had  very  little  exper- 
ience as  a  newspaper  man. 

THE  NORTHERN  LEADER. 

July  ist,  1892,  with  $1,000  pledged  advertising 

and  a  small  subscription  list,  the  Fort  Fairfield 
Printing  Company, — C.  II.  Ellis  business  manager 
and  editor, — commenced  the  publication  of  the 
JVortkeni  Leader,  at  $1.50  a  year.  Before  the  end 
of  its  first  year,  a  second  paper,  the  Beacon  (  which 
was  another  name  for  the  Aroostook  Democrat, 
which  had  entered  upon  its  fourth  volume,  )  was 
removed  from  Presque  Isle  to  this  village.  With 
its  coming  commenced  a  struggle  for  life,  and  as 
might  haye  been  expected,  with  the  advertising 
patronage  largely  secured  for  the  Leader,  the  Bea- 
con was  compelled  to  submit  to  the  inevitable;  he- 
fore  the  close  of  the  first  year  it  suspended  publi- 
cation. With  the  beginning  of  1894  the  Leadei 
became  self  sustaining,  and  the  liberal  and  judi- 
cious advertising  by  the  business  men  of  the  village 
assure  the  future  success  of  a  local  newspaper  in 
Fort  Fairheld. 

THE  UAILROAD. 

The  time  had  come  when  railroad  communica- 
tion with  the  outside  world  became  a  necessity. 
The  town  had  been  liberal  in  voting  bonds,  and  the 
work  rapidly  carried  towards  completion,  and  the 


160  history  of  fort  Fairfield. 


FIRST  Tit  A IX  OF  OAKS 

crossed  the  boundary  line  on  Saturday,  November 

13,  icS/5.  This  was  a  red  letter  day  for  the  town, 
as  it  marked  two  important  events, — the  publica- 
tion of  the  first  newspaper  and  the  arrival  of  the 
first  raliroad  train.  There  was  now  a  general  look- 
ing forward  to  another  interesting  and  important 
day,  that  would  produce  results  of  great  moment 
to  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  town, — 

THE  FORMAL  OPENING 

of  the  New  Brunswick  railroad.  In  all  these  years 
it  had  been  a  good  three  davs  going  to  Bangor.  On 
Tuesday,  November  30,  1875,  the  connection  be- 
came complete  by  rail  to  the  Queen  City.  It  was 
a  bleak,  cold  day,  yet  a  large  company  assembled. 
Upon  the  arrival  of  the  train,  the  '"Stars  and  stripes'' 
aid  the  aUnio?  Jr^k"  were  hoisted  together,  and  the 
historic  gun  of  Fort  Fairfield  belched  forth  its  thun- 
der in  a  national  salute,  At  the  town  hall  Judge 
Small  presided.  Among  the  Provincial  guests 
were  Hon.  Alexander  Gibson,  president  of  the 
Xew  Brunswick  railroad,  Hon.  J.J.  Frazier,  Pro- 
vincial secretary,  Hon.  B.  B.  Stevenson,  surveyor 
general,  Hon.  Wm.  Kellev,  commissioner  of  pub- 
lic works,  lion.  Mayor  Wetmore  of  Frcderickton, 
Hon.  Mayor  Laughton  of  St.  John,  numbers  of  par- 
liament, editors  of  newspapers,  railroad  officials 
and  other  distinguished  gentlemen, 


THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH, 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


1 6.3 


Speeches  were  made  by  President  Gibson,  Judge 
Fisher  of  Frederickton  and  lion.  F.  A.  Pike  of 
Calais.  .V  bountiful  collation  was  served,  and  at 
six  p.  m.  the  company  adjourned  to  the  depot  for 
their  return  trip,  leaving  their  Fort  Fairfield  friends 
in  the  happy  consciousness  that  they  were  connec- 
ed  with  the  outside  world  bv  rail. 


164  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  POTATO  INDUSTRY. 

The  adaptation  cf  Aroostook  soil  to  the  growth 
of  the  potato  was  early  observed  by  the  settlers, 
but  it  was  not  until  Mr.  B.  Gathcrcole  had  built  his 
starch  factory  that  any  one  thought  that  potato  rais- 
ing would  ever  become  a  money-making,  much  less 
the  leading,  industry  of  the  Aroostook  valley.  One 
of  the  peculiarities  of  the  Yankee  is,  that  if  one  suc- 
ceeds in  getting  a  good  tiling,  he  is  never  allowed 
to  enjoy  it  alone.  This  first  starch  factory  was 
scarcely  in  operation  before  Mr.  Bedell  had  one 
commenced  in  the  Maple  Grove  settlement.  These 
were  the  days  of  small  things;  but  with  a  sure  mar- 
ket for  the  small  potatoes'  at  a  price  which  would 
nearly  pay  for  harvesting  the  entire  crop,  and  a 
reasonable  assurance  that  a  market  would  always 
be  open  to  them,  at  a  good  paying  rr'ce,  for  all  the 
potatoes  they  couM  raise,  the  two  starch  factories 
became  four,  and  the  fame  of  the  Aroostook  potato 
went  out  to  all  the  land. 

The  one  obstacle  in  the  way  o:  success  appeared 


HISTORY    OF    FONT    FAIRFIELD. 


165 


to  be  the  drain  made  upon  the  land  in  the  raising 
of  this  crop.  The  amount  of  potash,  to  say  nothing 
of  the  nitrogen  and  phosphoric  aeid  that  a  crop  of 
potatoes  would  take  from  the  soil,  convinced  them 
that  without  some  immediate  remedy  their  farms 
would  soon  run  out.  .V  prompt  and  successful 
remedy  was  soon  at  hand;  while  there  was  sus- 
picion and  a  liberal  amount  of  doubt  as  to  their  val- 
ine, commercial  fertilizers  have  steadily  increased 
in  popularity,  and  to-day  have  become  an  absolute 
necessity  to  secure  the  best  results  in  this  great  and 
valuable  industry.  For  a  decade  each  year's  crop 
of  potatoes  has  exceeded  the  last,  and  while  there 
has  been  considerable  fluctuation  in  prices,  the  sales 
have  been,  almost  without  an  exception,  at  a  price 
that  paid  a  liberal  profit,  above  the  cost  of  produc- 
tion. Each  year  adds  to  the  strength  and  popular- 
ity of  potato  raising  in  the  Aroostook  valley,  and 
with  the  coming  of  the  Bangor  and  Aroostook  rail- 
road, already  completed  to  Iloulton,  and  with  the 
best  assurance  that  it  will  reach  this  town  early 
next  summer,  the  farmers  ( if  one  can  judge  from  the 
amount  of  commercial  fertilizers  being  shipped  in- 
to the  county)  intend  to  largely  increase  the  acre- 
age of  this  valuable  crop  for  1(894.  Aside  from 
lands  near  large  cities  and  manufacturing  centres, 
none  pay  so  large  a  profit  as  those  from  which  a 
well  cultivated  crop  of  potatoes  is  taken.  While 
at  the   present    time    it  is   doubtful    if  the  average 


1 66  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


Aroostook  farmer  raised  more  than  two  hundred 
bushels  of  potatoes  per  acre,  there  are  instances 
where,  by  thorough  cultivation  and  the  liberal  use 
of  fertilizer,  have  been  produced  between  seven  and 
eight  hundred  bushels,  and  it  is  the  judgement  of 
some  our  most  experienced  and  practical  farmers, 
that  every  acre  of  land  should  yield  at  least  one 
hundred  barrels  of  good,  marketable  potatoes;  and 
it  is  due  to  some  of  our  enterprising  and  progres- 
sive farmers  to  say  that  they  have  not  only  reached 
that  amount,  but  on  an  average  exceed  it. 

While  Aroostook  farmers  have  largely  been 
content  with  the  cultivation  of  small  farms,  they 
have  become  large  potato  raisers.  Twenty  acres 
of  potatoes  is  a  very  common  crop  for  a  Fort 
Fairfield  iarmer,  and  forty  or  fifty  acres  has  be- 
come too  common  to  attract  attention. 

The  growth  of  this  industry  has  been  quite  rapid 
but  healthy,  until  the  present  vast  proportions  have 
been  reached,  leading  all  others  and  making  Aroos- 
took firming,  in  proportion  to  its  acreage,  equal  to 
any  in  the  United  States. 

The  western  farmer  has  been  contented  and 
happy  with  a  yield  of  twenty-five  bushels  of 
wheat  per  acre,  and  in  the  home  market  selling  at 
one  dollar  per  bushel,  and  if  that  state  of  things  had 
continued  there  never  would  have  been  an  up- 
rising of  farmers,  and  a  political  farmers'  organi- 
zation. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  167 


The  Fort  Fairfield  farmer,  year  after  year  sells 
from  his  well  cultivated  potato  field  seventy-five 
barrels  of  merchantable  potatoes,  at  an  average  of 
one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  per  barrel,  amounting  to 
one  hundred  and  twelve  dollars  and  fifty  cents  per 
acre.  In  the  town  of  Fort  Fairfield,  in  the  year 
1893,  there  were  six  starch  factories  in  active  oper- 
ation and  estimated,  ten  thousand  tons  of  starch  put 
on  the  market  and  nine  million  six  hundred  nintv- 
six  thousand  nine  hundred  sixty-nine  barrels  of 
potatoes  shipped  to  the  Boston  market,  estimated 
price  $1.50  per  barrel.  The  future  of  this  industry 
seem;  absolutely  assured,  and  the  success  of  farm- 
ing in  this  tiDrthem  latitude  will  keep  step  with  the 
best  paying  industries  of  the  countrv.  The  in- 
troduction of  labor  saving  machinery  has  produced 
two  marked  results.  First,  the  land  is  more  care- 
fully prepared  and  m  uv  thoroughly  cultivate:!,  and 
secondly,  the  potatoes  are  raised  and  put  upon  the 
market  at  considerably  less  cost.  Potatoes  are 
now  dropped  and  covered  and  the  fertilizer  dis- 
tributed by  a  two  horse  planter  that  will  do  the 
work  of  ten  men.  Mr.  Fred  M.  Haines  of  Fort 
Fairfield  has  invented  a  wheel  horse-hoe  and  fer- 
tilizer that  will  remove  the  weeds,  stir  the  soil,  and 
distribute  the  fertilizer  better  than  it  can  possibly 
be  done  by  hand,  and  do  the  work  of  eight  or  ten 
men,  with  one  man  and  a  horse.  The  four-horse 
potato  digger   gets   over   a  verv   large   breadth    of 


l68  HISTORY    OF.FOKT    FAIRFIELD, 


land  in  a  day,  and  leaves  the  potatoes  in  good  con- 
dition to  pick,  and  it  is  claimed  to  injure  less  pota- 
toes, while  it  gathers  them  nearly  as  clean  as  can 
be  done  by  hand  work. 

Another  thing  in  favor,  and  that  goes  a  long 
vyay  in  making  popular  this  industry,  is  the  fact 
that  it  gives  cmplovment  extending  through  many 
months  of  the  year.  The  preparation  of  the  ground , 
the  planting  and  cultivation  of  the  crops,  is  followed 
only  by  a  short  rest  before  the  harvest  commences, 
which  includes  putting  the  marketable  potatoes  in 
the  cellar  or  the  potato  houses,  and  hauling  the 
small  and  inferior  ones  to  the  starch  factory  ;  then 
the  time  of  fall  plowing  and  initiatory  work  for 
another  crop,  and  the  work  of  hauling  and  market- 
ing the  potatoes  is  taken  up,  to  continue  through 
the  winter  and  early  spring,  and  often  extending 
late  into  April,  and  sometimes  into  May;  when 
the  work  of  raising  another  crop  should  be  fully 
in  hand.  The  climate,  adaptation  of  soil,  and  hab- 
its of  the  people  have  all  combined  to  favor  the 
value  of  the  crop  and  give  it  the  lead  in  the  mar- 
ket, and  the  advantage  already  secured  in  the 
hands  of  the  intelligent,  industrious  and  enterpris- 
ing tillers  of  the  Aroostook  soil,  will  undoubtedly 
hold  the  trade,  and  the  ever  increasing  market  will 
in  the  future,  as  in  the  past,  keep  up  both  the  de- 
mand and  the  price. 

Within  the  last  few   vears  farms  have  been  sold 


HISTORY    OF    FOHT    FAIRFIELD.  169 


in  Fcrt  Fairfield  for  from  $4,000  to  $6,000,  contain- 
ing fr<  m  two  to  three  hundred  acres,  with  good 
farm  buildings,  and  with  one  hundred,  acres  cr 
more  of  improved  land,  and  the  potatoes  taken 
fremthe  farms,  in  two  }~cars  have  paid  the  entire 
am  )'.i:it  of  purchase  moiey.  While  it  is  not  ne- 
cessary so  far  as  the  present  is  concerned,  the  fact 
should  not  be  overlooked  that  the  farmers  of  Fort 
Fairfield  are  not  exclusively  engaged  in  raising  po- 
tatoes. "Thev  do  not  lose  sight  of  the  well  es- 
tablished theory  of  rotation  in  crops.  Hay  has  been, 
and  will  continue  to  be,  an  important  and  profitable 
crop,  and  a  geed  price  will  be  paid  for  oats,  as  long- 
as  lumbering  operations  are  carried  on  ;  and  as  there 
is  more  or  less  land  that  is  remarkably  well  adapt- 
ed ("cr  gracing,  the  raisingof  neat  stock  and  horses 
dees,  and  undoubtedly  will  continue  to  receive,  con- 
siderable attention. 

In  concluding  this  chapter,  we  call  attention  to 
the  ting  a  potato  harvest  scene. 

While  for  the  Aroostook  farmer  of  1^04  it  may 
attract  but  little  attention,  to  future  generations  it 
will  at  least  give  an  idea  of  the  progress  made  and 
enterprise  displayed  by  the  cultivators  of  the  pres- 
ent day. 

The  industry  occupies  so  important  a  relation  to 

the  development  of  Aroostook  county,  that  we  have 

had  taken  two  street  views,  representing  the  potato 

:vs  crowding-  up  to  the  potato  houses,  and  the 


I/O  HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 

streets  full  of  sleds  from  which  the  horses  have 

been  taken  at  the  dinner  hour. 

The  records  of  two  daws  in  March, 1894,  show 
the  sale  of  three  thousand  five  hundred  and  four 
thousand  barrels  respectively,  sold  and  delivered 
in  the  Fort  Fairfield  potato  market.  $6,000  paid 
to  the  farmers  in  one  day  alone,  for  one  article  of 
produce  from  these    farms,  is  one  of  the  results  of 

Hue    innnt:tr\' 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  I  73 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

PAST,   PRESENT  AND  FUTURE. 

In   turning   back  for  a   survey   of  the   changing 

events  that  make  up  the  history  of  our  town  and 
village,  we  shall  find  a  held  of  interesting  and  stir- 
ring scenes  opening  up  before  us.  Arbitrarily,  and 
to  suit  our  own  purpose,  we  fix  the  past  of  half  a 
century  from  1840  to  1890.  So  much  as  comes  with- 
in the  present  decade,  or  may  transpire  before  its 
close,  we  will  recognize  as  the  present,  and  pass 
over  to  the  speculative  future,  all  that  shall  come 
after. 

Until  1840  very  little  was  known  of  any  of  the 
vast  territory  lying  north  of  Iloulton,  ant!  now 
in  Aroostook  county.  The  active  living  past  of 
Fort  Fairfield,  the  settlement,  growth  and  prosper- 
perity  of  the  northern  frontier  town  of  the  north- 
eastern state  of  the  American  Union,  commenced 
in  the  year  A.  D.,  1840. 

While  it  is  true  that  in  1806,  a  grant  of  a  part 
of  the  territory  embraced  in  this  town  was  located, 
surveyed,  and  conveyed  to  an  incorporation  by  the 


174  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  it  was  not  until 
the  settlement  of  the  northeastern  boundary,  and 
the  ratification  of  the  Webster-Ashburton  treat}', 
that  they  came  into  actual  possession,  and  when  that 
settlement  was  made,  more  than  one  twelveth  of  the 
original  Plymouth  Grant  was  upon  the  wrong  side 
of  the  national  boundary  to  be  of  any  practical  use 
or  benefit.    . 

Before  that  time  valuable  pine  timber  had  been 
cut  and  hauled  to  the  Aroostook  river,  which  makes 
a  grand  sweep  of  nearly  twelve  miles  through  its 
territory,  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  adjoining  pro- 
vince of  New  Brunswick,  who  had  settled  along 
its  banks  lor  the  purpose  of  lumbering,  and  depend- 
ed upon  that  business  for  a  living.  The}'  had  made 
only  small  improvements  upon  the  land  they  occu- 
pied, some  few  by  grant  from  the  government,  and 
others  only  acquiring  a  squatter's  right.  This  in  the 
strictest  sense  was  an  English  settlement,  owing 
allegiance  to  t!ie  British  crown,  without  a  thought 
that  tlfey  were  trespassers  upon  foreign  territory. 
Subsequently,  about  i  S3 5  or  1836,  an  American 
settlement  had  been  m  ide  farther  up  the  Aroostook 
river,  and  General  Wellington  had  purchased  what 
is  now  the  town  of  M  xiticcllo,  and  Dennis  Fair- 
banks had  pushed  thrr.igh  still  farther  north  and 
settled  upon  the  Presqu  Isle  stream,  about  a  mile 
from  its  confluence  wit'i  the  Aroostook  river. 

The  boundary    line    be':.veen    Mxne   and  New 


HISTORY    OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD.  I  75 


Brunswick,  which  had  been  established  by  treaty, 
to  the  headwaters  of  the  St.  Croix  river,  where  a 
monument  was  set,  from  that  point  north  had  be- 
come a  question   of  dispute. 

The  fact  that  an  English  settlement  had  been 
made,  and  the  timber  being  cut  off  and  run  down 
the  Aroostook  and  St.  John  river,  to  the  English 
timber  market,  increased  the  difficulty,  until  in  the 
winter  of  1839  the  land  agent  of  the  State  of  Maine, 
with  a  considerable  militia  force,  proceeded  to  the 
disputed  territory  for  the  purpose  of  driving  off  the 
trespassers,  confiscating  their  teams  and  taking  pos- 
session of  this  lumber.  For  this  purpose  a  fort 
was  erected  upon  what  will  always  be  known  as 
"Fort''  hill;  a  blockhouse  where  Mr.  Arthur  P. 
Libby's  house  now  stands,  and  a  boom  across  the 
river  to  hold  the  trespass  timber.  A  road  was  also 
cut  from  the  Fort,  which  had  been  named  for  the 
Hon.  John  Fairfield,  who  was  then  governor  of  the 
State  of  Maine.  The  men  who  had  been  drafted, 
and  compelled  to  make  the  long  and  tedious  jour- 
ney into  the  vast  wilderness,  formed  a  very  favora- 
ble opinion  of  the  country.  They  brought  back  to 
their  homes  a  good  report  of  the  new  country,  and 
aided  by  the  liberal  offer  of  almost  the  gift  of  a 
home  in  the  northern  wilderness,  within  a  very 
short  time  the  number  of  American  settlers  was 
numerous  enough  to  introduce  and  sustain  schools 
and  churches,  and   make  their  influence  felt  both 


176  HISTORY    OF    PORT    FAIRFIELD. 

socially  and  politically.  As  early  as  1844  political 
parties  were  organized,  and  the  discussion  of  polit- 
ical questions  was  freely  entered  upon.  Little  by 
little  the  foreign  element,  made  citizens  by  the 
Webster- Ashburton  treaty,  became  Americanized. 

Our  common  schools,  aided  by  intermarriage,  in 
a  few  short  years  almost  entirely  blotted  out  sec- 
tional lines  and  made  one  people  of  the  two  an- 
tagonizing classes  that  made  up  the  society  of 
1840. 

The  heavy  growth  of  timber  to  remove,  the 
early  frosts  and  long  winters,  together  with  the 
great  distance  from  market,  were  obstacles  hard  to 
overcome,  and  placed  the  early  settlers  at  a  great 
disadvantage. 

At  the  end  of  the  first  decade  some  had  become 
discouraged  and  returned  to  their  former  homes, 
and  others  would  have  done  so  if  they  had  not  been 
without  the  means,  and  possibly  had  no  former 
home  to  go  to.  Every  acre  cleared  let  in  addition- 
al sunlight,  every  day's  work  on  the  road  made  the 
relative  distance  from  the  outside  world  less,  everv 
day's  work  on  the  farm  or  buildings,  added  to  com- 
fort and  the  prospect  of  living.  At  the  end  of  the 
second  decade  the  people  of  Aroostook  began  to 
add  to  the  necessaries,  some  of  the  comforts  of  life. 
Abundant  returns  were  received  by  the  husband- 
man, many  farms  had  been  opened  up,  and  as  a 
whole,  the  people  of  North  Aroostook   were  in  a 


HISTORY   OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  1 77 

prosperous  condition.  Not  only  had  the  people 
been  trained  to  hardships  and  privations,  but  to  de- 
votion to  their  country  and  their  homes.  The 
times,  circumstances  and  conditions  all  encouraged 
the  growth  of  patriotism,  and  when  the  tocsin  of 
war  was  sounded,  when  the  old  flag,  the  "star  span- 
gled banner,"  was  assailed,  home  and  farm  and 
loved  ones  were  abandoned,  and  the  work  of 
defending  the  Hag  and  preserving  the  Union  be- 
came the  one  thought  and  the  one  work  of  these 
men  who  felt  called  to  a  greater  work  than  clearing- 
land  and  making  homes.  From  no  part  of  the 
country  did  so  large  a  pro  rata  of  the  population 
enter  the  army  as  from  the  northern  portion  of 
Aroostook  county,  while  no  part  of  the  entire  land 
was  so  illy  prepared  to  spare  them.  It  is  indeed 
doubtful  if  any  part  of  the  entire  North  felt  the  ef- 
fect of  the  war  so  severely  as  Aroostook  county. 
From  no  portion  of  our  country  were  stronger 
and  more  self  reliant  men  sent  forth  to  battle,  and 
from  no  part  was  the  pro  rata  of  loss  greater. 
These  men  went  forth  to  do  and  to  die,  if  need  be, 
that  the  country  might  live.  Before  there  was  a 
full  recovery,  from  the  shock  of  war,  another  de- 
cade had  nearly  passed  away.  Since  1870,  there 
has  been  a  steady  and  rapid  growth.  The  coming 
of  the  railroad  made  the  export  of  agricultural 
productions  not  only  possible  but  profitable.  The- 
manufacturing  of  short  lumber  became  profitable, 


I7<S  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


and  potato  raising  took  the  very  first  rank  in  agri- 
cultural work. 

Quietly,  and  without  any  great  pretensions,  there 
has  been  a  steady  advance  "all  along  the  line;" 
more  acres  were  brought  under  cultivation,  larger 
and  better  buildings  were  erected  with  pleasanter 
surroundings,  until  well  furnished,  beautifully  lo- 
cated and  delightful  homes,  form  a  grand  panorama 
upon  every  hillside,  and  along  every  valley,  and 
make  it  in  all  that  the  words  imply, — the  "Garden 
of  Maine/'  The  extensive  farming  industry  has 
made  centres  of  trade  a  necessity.  Villages  have 
been  built  up,  as  the  natural  result  cf  the  large 
breadth  of  rich,  fertile  land,  and  its  adaptation  to 
the  raising  in  abundance,  crops  for  which  good 
prices  and  a  ready  market  is  ever  at  hand.  The 
necessary  accompaniment,  intelligent,  enterprising, 
industrious  farmers,  have  not  been  found  wanting, 
and  to-day  one  may  travel  the  world  over  without 
finding  such  returns  for  the  money  invested,  as  can 
be  secured  from  an  Aroostook  farm.  Land  that 
to-day  is  in  a  state  of  cultivation,  from  which  one 
hundred  barrels  of  potatoes  can  be  harvested,  sell- 
ing at  forty  dollars  an  acre,  makes  it  doubly  sure 
that  the  profit  of  a  single  crop,  will  considerably 
more  than  pay  for  the  land  upon  which  it  was 
raised. 


HISTORY    OF    FOIIT    FAIRFIELD.  I  79 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

FORT  FAIRFIELD   IN  THE  WAR. 

The  political  campaign  which  culminated  in  the 
election  of  Abraham  Lincoln  to  the  presidency, 
found  Fort  Fairfield  in  the  best  possible  condition 
to  wield  an  influence  in  favor  of  his  administration. 
From  1840  Capt.  Stephen  B.  Pattee  and  Almon  S. 
Richards  had  been  steady  and  persistent  political 
workers,  thoroughly  devoted  to  Whig  principles, 
and  upon  the  breaking  up  of  the  Whig  party,  they 
became  active  and  efficient  Republicans.  Then 
came  Hon.  Isaac  I  lacker,  Hon.  Jesse  Drew,  Hon. 
Washington  Long  and  William  Small,  Esq.,  all  ac- 
tive and  efficient  workers  for  free  speech,  free  in- 
stitutions, and  a  ''government  of  the  people,  bv  the 
people  and  for  the  people."  And  not  only  did  they 
talk  and  vote  for  President  Lincoln,  but  they 
worked  to  sustain  him  in  the  great  national  strug- 
gle to  maintain  the  government,  in  harmony  with 
the  platform  upon  which  he  had  been  elected,  and 
to  perpetuate  the  Union.  Their  field  of  operation 
was  favorable  for  effective  work.     From  their  own 


l8o  HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 

town  and  the  adjoining  parishes  in  New  Bruns- 
wick, men  were  easily  secured  for  the  volunteer 
force,  that  gave  our  count)*  the  post  of  honor  in 
sending  the  most  men  to  the  war,  in  proportion  to 
the  population,  of  any  county  in  the  Union.  Their 
influence  went  out  and  was  felt  in  the  adjoining 
towns  and  in  our  sister  province.  Fort  Fairfield 
was  pre-eminently  loyal, not  only  to  the  Union  cause, 
but  to  the  principles  involved. 

From  first  to  last,  whether  flushed  by  victory  or 
depressed  by  disaster,  her  sons  were  ready  to  brave 
the  dangers  of  the  battle-field,  and  if  need  be,  give 
their  lives,  that  the  nation  might  live.  Her  roll  of 
honor  stands  upon  the  national  record.  The  names 
of  her  honored  sons  were  found  in  nearly  all  the 
State  organizations. 

Her  heroic  dead,  and  her  wounded  and  disabled 
veterans,  represent  almost  ever}*  family  of  that 
day.  From  the  adjutant  general's  reports,  and 
other  sources,  we  are  able  to  give  the  following 
imperfect  record  of  soldiers  who  went  to  the  war 
from  this  town,  but  as  in  many  instances,  they 
went  to  make  up  the  quota  of  other  towns,  we 
find  it  impossible  at  this  late  day  to  give  all:  and 
as  man\'  of  the  soldiers  and  their  friends  have 
failed  to  respond  to  the  request  made  of  them 
through  the  Northern  Leader,  the  local  paper  of 
the  town,  no  doubt  some  at  least,  will  feel  an  in- 
justice has  been  done. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  1 83 


CpMMISSIONED  OFFICERS. 

Franklin  M.  Drew,  captain  and  major  in  the 
15th  Maine  Regiment;  C.  II.  Ellis,  chaplain  in  the 
nth,  and  captain  in  the  31st  Maine  Regiment; 
Oscar  A.  Ellis,  2d  and  1st  lieutenant,  and  captain 
in  the  1st  Maine  Cavalry;  ElbridgeJ.  Pattee,  2d 
and  first  lieutenant,  and  captain  in  the  15th  Maine 
Regiment;  Albert  W.  Ilovt,  2d  and  1st  lieutenant 
m  the  1 5 tli  Maine  Regiment;  Whitman  L.  Orcutt. 
2d  and  1st  lieutenant  in  the  15  Maine  Regiment. 
Chandler  Libby,  2d  lieutenant  in  the  10th  Maine 
Regiment. 

N ON-COMMISSIONED  O  FF ICERS. 

Daniel  \V.  Haines,  sergeant,  Co.  E,  1st  Maine 
Cavalry;  Alexander  McDougald,  sergeant,  Co.  E, 
ist  Maine  Cavalv;  Albert  Gardiner,  corporal,  Co. 
E.  ist  Maine  Cavalry;  Shepherd  R.  Ilovt,  ser- 
geant, Co.  E,  15th  Maine  Regiment;  Charles  L. 
Ilovt,  sergeant,  Co.  E,  1.5th  Maine  Regiment;  John 
W.  Whitten,  sergeant,  Co.  E,  15th  Regiment; 
Alfred  Marshall,  corporal,  Co.  E,  15th  Regi- 
ment; James  Doran,  corporal,  Co.  E,  15th  Me. 
Regiment;  Sanborn  Murphy,  corporal,  15th 
Regiment;  James  F.  Luce,  sergeant,  Co.  E,  31st 
Regiment;  Albert  Siblv,  corporal,  Co.  E,  31st 
Maine  Regiment;  Charles  V.  Ellis,  corporal,  Co. 
E,  3  ist  Regiment. 

PRIVATES. 

ist  Maine  Cavalrv:   Hiram   II.   Ellis,  Albert  L. 


I84  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


Haines,  John  Decker,  Edward  Decker,  Asa 
E.  Davis,  R.  E.  Orcutt,  John  Currier  and  John 
Gallagher. 

2d  Maine  Cavalry:  Abraham  R.  Powers,  Joseph 
L.  Whitmore. 

1st  District  Columbia  Cavalry:  Richard  Xorris, 
sergeant. 

5th  Maine  Battery:   Alden  C.  Varney. 

1st  Maine  Veteran  Infantry:  William  Knight, 
James  Johnston. 

3d  Maine  Regiment:  Richard  Harmon,  Abel 
Humphrey,  John  B.  Willette. 

4th  Maine  Regiment:    John  A.  Day. 

7th  Maine  Regiment:   Uriah  Palmer. 

10th  Maine  Regiment:  Warren  Harmon,  Edward 
Ross,  Simon  Giberson,  Nelson  McNeil. 

11th  Maine  Regiment:  George  W.  Eastman, 
Samuel  G.  Richardson,  Amos  Fitzherbert,  George 
Guiggev,  Aaron  Gomerv,  Moses  Grass. 

,15th  Maine  Regiment:  Almon  Waite,  George 
E.  Drew,  Joseph  E.  Drew,  Lewis  Mvshrall,  War- 
ren Fitield,  Charles  A.  Grass,  Fabian  Crock,  Geo. 
Martin,  John  Lund)',  Stephen  S.  McDougald,  Jas. 
Crock,  John  W.  Pickles,  Ransom  N.  Pierce, 
Fernando  Bolster,  Joseph  Boiler,  Ames  Bolier, 
Phillip  Bolier,  Thomas  Crock,  Ozias  Dunton,  Thus. 
Dunnell,  Jeremiah  Farwell,  Daniel  Finn,  Chas.  A. 
Grass,  Enoch  B.  Grass,  George  A.  Groves,  Win. 
Lundv,  George  X.  Poltridrc.  Samuel  Fitzkcrtcit, 


HISTORY    OF    FOST    FAIRFIELD.  185 


George  E.  Park,  Joseph  E.  Dow,  Patrick  F.  OTIa- 
ra,  Benjamin  W.  Pettingill,  Edward  Murphy. 

16th  Maine  Regiment:  Erastus  Rogers,  John 
L.  Rogers,  Nicholas  Dee,  Thomas  Lyons,  Warren 

A.  }ohnst,)n,  Daniel  Hopkins,  Daniel  Webb, 
Roderick  Powers,  Wesley  Chase,  John  S.  Cor- 
less,  James  Rediker,  Nicholas  Mc Kinney,  James 
Mckinney,  Henry  Hopkinson,  Edward  Ross,  Na- 
thanael  Lufkin,  Alfred  Bishop,  Frederick  Bishop, 
Simeon  B.  Fulsom,  Noah  Goodrich,  William  Ha- 
ley,   Michael    Bolier,    Henry   Grass,  Daniel    Foss. 

17th  Maine  Regiment:  John  P.  Frink,  Fred 
Haines,  Michael  Russell,  Thomas  Russell,  Patrick 
Russell,  Bartlett,  Rediker. 

20th  Maine  Regiment:  Richard  Powers,  Gran- 
ville Hopkinson,  Charles  E.  Iloit,  Henry  Powers, 
Philo  Hewett,  John  Riley. 

2id  Maine  Regiment:  Joseph  A,  Conant,  Joshua 
Iloyt,  Orrin  Iloyt,  LaForest  V.  Towle,  Charles  II. 
Townsend,  Amos  Pvle. 

30th  Maine  Regiment:   William  Russell. 

3  rst  Maine  Regiment:  Asa  S.  Townsend,  George 
\Y.  Curtis,  Joseph  P.  Pyle,  Wm:  F.  Dolley,  Lorin 
F.  Johnston,  William  J.  Sawyer,  Daniel  Whitmore, 
James  F.  Springer,  Asa  0.  Wcntworth,  Addison 
Wright. 

While  the  record  of  the  Maine  regiments  stands 
in  the  front  rank  of  the  mighty  force  raised  to 
maintain  the  national  unity,  the  1st  Maine  cavalry, 


iH6  history  of  FOirr  FAIRFIELD. 


for  long  service,  hard  inarches  and  effective  work 
upon  the  battle-field,  had  no  equal.  Fort  Fairfield's 
quota  to  this  regiment  was  made  up  of  young  men 
who  stood  among  the  best;  all  of  whom  did  noble 
service  for  their  country,  and  have  left  a  record 
for  future  generations  that  should  be  written  in  let- 
ters of  light. 

Her  sons  were  among  the  best  in  the  several 
regiments  to  which  they  were  assigned;  physically, 
perfect  men,  who  went  forth  to  do  or  to  die,  never 
faltering  upon  the  march,  and  in  the  camp  or  on 
the  battle-field  discharging  their  duty  in  a  manner 
that  won  the  commendations  of  the  generals  of  the 
army. 

Not  a  call  for  men  was  made  by  the  government 
that  was  not  heartilv  responded  to  by  the  loyal  men 
of  our  town,  often  going  to  make  up  the  quota, 
and  filling  the  places  left  vacant  by  other  older 
and  more  popi  lous  towns;  and  by  so  doing  not  only 
did  the  weary  marching  and  hard  fighting  for  others, 
but  lost  the  identity  of  their  army  life  with  their 
own  town. 


history  ok   roKT  Fairfield.  187 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

FIFTEENTH    MAINE    REGIMENT. 

It  was  not  until  the  organization  of  the  15th 
Regiment,  that  Fort  Fairfield  got  down  to  earnest 
work.  In  fact,  up  to  this  time  the  war  had  been 
looked  upon  as  of  short  duration,  and  the  opinion 
had  prevailed  that  the  demand  for  troops  was  of 
so  small  account  that  it  was  not  worth  the  while 
to  make  any  earnest  effort.  But  the  fact  became 
more  and  more  apparent  that  a  serious  and  des- 
perate struggle  was  before  us.  Col.  John  Mo 
Cluskey,  a  popular  lumberman,  was  authorized  to 
organize  a  regiment.  It  was  both  right  and  proper 
that  the  active  Republican  leaders,  whose  age  and 
infirmities  unfitted  them  to  go  to  the  front,  should, 
so  far  as  they  had  sons,  give  them  as  a  free-will 
offering  to  their  country's  cause.  And  sons  with 
such  sires,  were  only  too  ready  to  do  with  might 
and  main,  to  preserve  the  national  life.  Backed 
by  family  influence,  Franklin  Drew,  El  bridge  G. 
Pattcc  and  Albert   Ilovt,  were  active  co-workers 


l88  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


to  aid  in  the  work,  and  readily  secured  from  among 
their  voung  friends  and  acquaintances,  a  large  and 

respeetable  foil  owing'. 

The  stern  realities  of  the  war  had  been  forced 
home  upon  them,  and  the  men  who  gave  their 
names  for  the  organization  of  this  regiment,  did  it 
with  the  full  realization  of  what  was  before  them, 
so  far  as  the  march  and  battle-field  were  con- 
cerned. But  their  first  experience  upon  the  trans- 
ports, and  a  voyage  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  the 
great  change  to  the  extreme  heat  and  exposure  of 
a  climate  which  was  absolutely  foreign  to  them, 
was  a  hardship  that  told  more  severely  upon  them, 
than  upon  almost  any  other  regiment  that  ever  en- 
tered the  service.  Not  only  did  Fort  Fairfield 
send  almost  the  last  available  man  into  this  regi- 
ment, but  it  was  a  popular  rendezvous  for  recruit- 
ing. Eaton  Grant,  Caribou,  Sarsfield,  Limestone, 
Van  Buren  and  our  sister  Province,  if  not  invaded 
when  their  sons  came  to  our  town,  they  found  pub- 
lic sentiment  so  strong,  and  influences  almost 
irresistible  surrounding  them,  that  many  were  in- 
duced to  yield  to  the  stronger  force  and  enlist  for 
the  war.  While  before  and  after,  upper  Aroostook 
furnished  honored  names  to  other  organizations,  in 
fact  to  almost  all  that  entered  the  held  from  our 
state,  the  15th  was  emphatically  our  regiment,  and 
no  history  of  our  town  can  be  complete  without 
bemo-  interwoven  with  its  honored  record. 


IIISTOKY    07    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


iS> 


The  organization  of  the  ist  Maine  Cavalry,  the 
iith,  1 2th  13th  and  14th  regiments,  had  followed 
each  other  in  such  rapid  succession  as  to  be  almost 
simultaneous.  Maine's  war  governor,  Israel  Wash- 
burn, Jr.,  seconded  by  the  able  and  efficient  adju- 
tant general,  John  L.  Ilodsdon,  was  putting  forth 
every  effort  to  respond  to  the  country's  call. 
With  each  regiment  that  entered  the  held,  the  war 
cloud  seemed  to  lower.  News  from  the  seat  of 
war  were  of  a  depressing  character.  Bull  Run  and 
Ball's  Bluff,  the  death  of  the  patriotic  Lyons,  the 
Mason-Slidcll  complication,  the  disastrous  drawn 
battles  and  skirmishes  in  Missouri,  had  thrown  a 
dark  cloud  over  the  entire  North.  Amidst  all  this 
darkness  and  discouragement  to  the  Union  cause, 
the  authority  from  the  governor  was  received  in 
October  to  organize  the  15th  regiment,  and  the 
first  week  in  November  saw  large  detachments  of 
troops  gathered  at  Augusta.  December  6th,  7th 
and  9th,  companies  A,  B  and  C  were  mustered  in- 
to the  United  States  service,  and  before  the  month 
ended,  men  were  mustered  into  every  company,  and 
by  January  16th  1862,  the  regimental  organization 
was  completed.  'These  two  months,  however,  were 
not  lost  time.  Under  the  management  of  such  of- 
ficers ;is  were  entitled  to  muster  before  a  full  regi- 
ment had  been  secured,  drill  and  discipline  had 
been  carefully  attended  to.  and  thus  the  foundation 
laid  For  future  work.     Of  this  regiment,  companies 


I90  HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 

C,  E  and  G,  and  a  part  of  F,  were  from  Aroostook 
county. 

The  lirst  officers  of  these  companies  were  as  fol- 
lows: Co.  C,  Charles  W.  Clayton  of  Masardis,  cap- 
tain; Daniel  Prescott  of  Presque  Isle,  1st  lieuten- 
ant;  Zebulan  Rowe  of  Presque  Isle,  2d  lieutenant. 

Co.  E,  Charles  B.  Smith  of  Iloulton,  captain; 
John  Z.  Swanton  of  Iloulton.  1st  lieutenant;  Al- 
bert Iloyt  of  Fort  Fairfield,  2d  lieutenant. 

Company  F:  Janus  W.  Hackett  of  Iloulton,  1st 
lieutenant.;  company  G,  Franklin  Drew  of  Fort 
Fairfield,  captain;  Ransom  N.  Pierce  of  Fort  Fair- 
field, 1st  lieutenant;  Elbridge  G.  Pattee  of  Fort 
Fairfield,  2d  lieutenant.  Subsequently  Warren 
Plummer  of  Presque  Isle,  and  Whitman  L.  Orcutt 
of  Fort  Fairfield,  were  promoted  to  2d  and  rst 
lieutenants  in  company  C,  and  Cyrus  E.  Knight  of 
Presque  Isle,  1st  lieutenant,  and  captain  in  corn- 
pan}'  F. 

On  February  26th,  1862,  the  regiment  broke 
camp  at  Augusta  and  took  the  train  for  Portland, 
where  they  expected  to  immediately  take  transport 
to  New  Orleans.     There  was,  however,  a  delay  of 


ore 


a  week,  with  very  uncomfortable  quarters  bed 
they  were  0:1  shipboard,  and  then  twenty-eight 
days  on  the  ocean,  followed  bv  six  weeks  on  Ship 
island,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi.  Then  a 
trip  up  the  river  to  New  Orleans,  that  should  have 
been    made    in    twenty-lour    hours,    that    occupied 


E.  e.  scate's  residence. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  1 93 

twelve  full  days.  The  summer  of  1862  was  spent 
in  camp  near  New  Orleans,  and  the  climatic  change 
and  the  southern  malaria  were  as  hard  to  face,  and 
almost  as  destructive,  as  the  battle.  Early  in  Sep- 
tember a  change  came:  another  shipboard  and  sea 
voyage  to  Pensacola,  on  the  western  eoast  of  Flori- 
da. Here  the  regiment  found  a  healthy  location, 
and  spent  a  very  eomfortable  winter,  remaining 
until  June,  1863,  when  the  order  earn  J  to  return 
to  New  Orleans. 

From  June  to  November  the  regiment  was  in 
active  service.  While  it  was  not  called  upon  to  do 
an}'  great  amount  of  righting,  long  marehes,  severe 
guard  duty,  broken  up  into  detatehments  to  pro- 
teet  the  main  army  from  a  sudden  and  unexpeeted 
attack,  upjn  low  and  mirshy  ground,  with  the 
insidious  enemy,  malarial  fever,  upon  every  hand, 
their  ranks  were  thinned  by  siekness  and  death. 
November  found  them  upon  transports  on  their 
way  to  Texas;  a  landing  was  soon  effeeted  upon 
Brazos  Island,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
the  extreme  southwestern  point  in  Texas.  Nov- 
ember 15th,  they  were  on  the  march  along  the 
eoast  to  Mustang  island.  Fort  Semmes  was  cap- 
tured, and  a  week  later  they  were  on  Matagorda 
island.  Fort  Esperanza  is  captured,  troops  are 
stationed  upon  the  mainland,  and  the  best  harbor 
on  the  Texan  coast  is  in  our  possession.  Februa- 
ry 29th,  1864,  found  them  on  a  transport  starting  on 


194  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

their  return  trip  to  New  Orleans;  then  up  the  riv- 
er, and  were  active  participants  in  the  Re:l  river 
campaign. 

Lono-  marches  and  hard  lights,  in  which  the  re;*- 

o  o  o 

iment  faithfully  discharged  its  duty,  is  applicable 
to  the  Red  river  campaign.  In  the  disastrous  Sa- 
bine Cross  Road  fight,  the  Bull  Run  of  the  expedi- 
tion, the  15th  was  in  Emory's  Division,  and  nobly 
performed  their  part  in  saving  the  retreating  army 
from  being  totally  destroyed,  and  made  Pleasant 
Grove  the  turning  point  in  the  ground  lost  at  Sa- 
bine Cross  Road. 

In  the  hotly  contested  battle  at  Pleasant  Hill  the 
regiment  was  in  the  thickest  of  the  light;  in  fact, 
at  the  most  critical  moment,  under  the  masterly 
management  of  Colonel  Dyer  and  Lieutenant-Col- 
onel Murray,  their  unyielding  anil  persistent  work 
ti  rned  the  tide  of  battle  in  our  favor. 

If  there  was  a  prominent  officer  in  that  expedi- 
tion who  returned  with  additional  honors  won,  that 
officer  was  Brigadier-General  William  II.  Eiury, 
the  commander  of  Emery's  Division  of  the  19th 
Army  Corps.  In  the  second  brigade  of  this  divi- 
sion, the  15th  Maine  performed  its  whole  d  ty; 
whether  upon  the  march,  building  the  dam  to  raise 
the  Red  river  that  the  gunboats  mi^ht  bj  saved,  or 
before  the  enemy,  they  did  their  whole  duty;  and 
what  that  whole  duty  was,  is  best  told  in  the  fol- 
lowing general  order  issued  r.t  the  c!cse  of  the 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD, 


95 


campaign  and  just  before  leaving  for  the  Army  of 

the  Potomac. 

"General  O^deb  No.  4cS. 

Headquarters  19th  Army  Corps, 
Semmesport,  La., 
May  1 8th,  1864. 

"Soldiers  of  the  1st  and  2d  Divisions  igih  Ar- 
my Corps: — It  is  my  duty  to  express  to  you  my 
appreciation  of  your  uniform  good  conduct  through- 
out the  late  eventful  campaign.  This  duty  is  ren- 
dered the  more  imperative  by  the  false  reports  of 
your  operations  which  have  met  you  at  this  point. 

"On  the  7th  of  April,  at  th^  first  notice  that  our 
troops  in  front  were  engaged,  the  First  Division, 
the  only  troops  of  the  19th  Corps  then  present, 
marched  in  double  quick  time  seven  miles  to  the 
front,  formed  a  line  of  battle  under  tire  of  the  en- 
emy, checked  him,  and  drove  him  back,  under  cir- 
cumstances the  most  trying  that  could  befall  troops. 
The  whole  advance,  composed  of  eight  or  ten 
thousand  troops,  were  thrown  back  upon  you  in 
utter  disorder  and  confusion,  pell-mell,  with  the 
enemy.  You  formed  line  of  battle  under  his  fire, 
and  amidst  this  frightful  disorder,  with  the  regu- 
larity of  forming  for  parade,  you  drove  the  enemy 
from  before  you,  and  held  the  ground  until  ordered 
to  fall  back. 

"The  next  day,  at  Pleasant  Hill,  you  of  the  First 
Division  oore  the  brunt  of  the  enemy's  furious  at- 


I96  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD*. 

tick;  and  only  one  brigade — that  on  the  left — gave 
way,  because  its  left  was  unsupported;  but  this 
soon  rallied  and  joined  in  the  final  charge  which 
drove  the  enemy  from  the  field. 

"On  the  23d,  at  Cane  River,  you,  supported  by 
the  13th  Army  Corps,  found  the  enemy  strongly 
posted  to  dispute  the  crossing  of  the  river.  Led 
by  the  Third  Brigade  of  the  1st  Division,  you  turned 
his  flank  and  drove  him  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet 
from  the  hill  he  occupied. 

"At  Alexandria,  you  contributed  your  labor,  by 
day  and  night,  for  seventeen  days,  under  the  en- 
gineering skill  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Bailey,  to 
the  great  work  which  relieved  the  fleet  from  its 
perilous  position  above  the  falls,  and  restored  it  to 
the  country. 

"At  Mansura,  on  the  1st  of  May,  you  met  the 
enemy  on  an  open  plain,  and  supported  on  your 
right  by  the  Sixteenth  Army  Corps,  drove  him 
from  the  field. 

"This  in  brief,  is  a  summary  of  your  services  for 
the  last  two  months,  and  I  know,  when  it  becomes 
known  to  the  country,  the  judgement  will  be  that 
you,  at  least,  have  done  your  duty  faithfully. 

(Signed.)     Wm.  H.  Emery, 

Brig.-General  Commanding. 

Official. 

Duncan  S.  Walker, 

Asst.-Adjt.  General/1 


HISTORY   OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  I97 

Only  a  brief  rest  in  camp  at  Morganzia  Bend 
upon  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  and  the}'  were 
hurried  upon  transports,  with  sealed  orders  that 
were  not  to  be  opened  until  after  the  pilots  had 
been  dismissed  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
when  opened,  proved  their  destination  to  be  to 
Chespeake  Bay,  the  Potomac  and  the  James.  Here 
the  regiment  was  divided.  One  battalion  under 
the  command  of  Col.  Dyer  upon  one  boat,  and  the 
other  under  command  of  Lieutenant-Col.  Murray, 
accompanied  by  Major  Frank  M.  Drew,  upon  an- 
other. 

No  sooner  arrived  than  they  were  hurried  for- 
ward to  strengthen  the  army  in  West  Virginia. 
Then  they  had  severe  campaigning  up  and  down 
the  valley  of  the  Shenandoah,  after  the  omnipresent 
Early,  who  never  failed  to  run  away,  but  did  not 
fail  to  fight  another  dav,  until  his  victory  was 
turned  into  defeat  by  Sheridan's  triumphant  ride 
from  Winchester.  After  the  fall  of  Richmond, 
the  15th  was  ordered  to  Washington,  and  here  we 
might  expeet  that  the  work  would  close,  but  not 
so.  After  six  weeks  at  the  national  capital  they 
were  treated  to  another  sea  voyage,  not  however, 
to  the  Gulf,  .but  to  Savannah,  Georgia,  and  from 
there  to  Georgetown,  where  they  were  required  to 
perform  a  full  year  of  duty  under  the  commander 
of  the  military  district  of  South  Carolina.  This,  one 
of  the  most  delicate  and   difficult  duties  that   had 


I98  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

fallen    to    their    lot,    was    successfully  performed. 
While  for  physical   indu ranee,  it  is  doubtful   if 

any  regiment  leaving  the  State  was  its  superior; 
the  positions  it  occupied  and  the  work  it  performed 
taxed  its  strength  beyond  any  other,  and  although 
its  number  of  killeil  and  wj.kvJ  j;1  was  compara- 
tively small,  its  loss  by  disease  and  death  was 
really  appalling.  The  Adjutant-General's  report 
shows  the  following  record  of  deaths  in  the  ser- 
vice: Co.  A,  twenty-eight;  Co.  B,  twenty-live; 
Co.  C,  thirty-one;  Co.  D,  thirty-nine;  Co.  E, 
forty-eight;  Co.  F,  thirty-two;  Co.  G,  thirty-four; 
Co.  II,  thirty-six;  Co.  I,  twenty-eight;  Co.  K, 
thirty-eight.  A  total  of  three  hundred  and  thirty- 
nine  deaths,  and  two  hundred  and  ninety-five  were 
discharged  for  disabilitv. 

If  we  follow  the  regiment  from  the  spring  of 
1862,  in  its  voyages  by  sea,  its  marches  by  land  up- 
on the  dreary  plains  of  Texas,  and  under  the  burn- 
ing tropical  sun,  and  among  the  swamps  and  la- 
goons of  Louisiana,  and  its  summer  in  South  Car- 
olina, we  may  only  wonder  that  the  number  of  dis- 
abled did  not  comprise  the  entire  regiment. 


HISTORY    OF    FOUT    FAIRFIELD.  1 99 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THIRTY-FIRST     MAINE    REGIMENT. 

In  the  winter  of  1864  the  war  department  made 
a  requisition  upon  the  State  of  Maine  for  two  more 
regiments  of  men  for  the  war.  The  terrible  drain 
made  upon  the  able  bodied  men  in  Aroostook  coun- 
ty, raised  the  question  of  the  advisability  of  as- 
signing one  of  the  companies  to  that  county.  Un- 
cler  these  circumstances,  Governor  Coney  offered 
a  commission  to  C.  II.  Ellis,  who  had  served  as 
chaplain  in  the  nth  and  had  considerable  ex- 
perience in  enlisting  men  for  the  army.  A  leave 
of  absence  from  the  army  hospital  at  Portland, 
where  he  was  then  emoloved,  a  brief  interview 
with  the  governor  tX  August  1,  and  he  was  on  his 
way  to  his  home  at  Maple  Grove.  The  third  day 
of  weary  staging  from  Bangor  was  last  wearing 
away,  when  a  halt  was  called  to  change  mail  at  a 
private  house  in  a  small  opening,  in  the  township 
of  Mars  Hill.  A  good  look  and  a  few  words  with 
the  acting  postm: .ster,  and  a  sto;>  was  made  until 
the  next  day. 


200  HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


Before  the  elose  of  that  day,  the  enlistment  pa- 
pers of  Henry  O.  Pern'  and  two  or  three  of  his 
neighbors  were  made  out  and  signed,  and  the  work 
of  organizing  Co.  E?  31st  Maine  Regiment,  had 
taken  tangible  form. 

Before  leaving  Augusta,  an  interview  had  been 
held  with  Dr.  Rogers  of  Patten,  and  an  agreement 
made  to  give  his  son,  Edwin  S.  Rogers,  a  lieuten- 
ant's commission,  upon  the  condition  that  he  en- 
listed twenty  men.  The  work  went  rapidly  for- 
ward. 

The  great  distance  from  the  capital  of  the  State, 
where  the  1112:1  went  into  camp  until  the  organ- 
ization of  the  regiment  was  perfected,  placed  the 
company  at  a  disadvantage,  and  although  no  com- 
pany was  enlisted  as  promptly,  it  was  the  fifth  com- 
pany to  be  mustered  into  service.  Lieutenant 
Rogers,  who  was  an  undergraduate  at  Bowdoin 
college,  immediately'  reported  at  the  camp  at  Au- 
gusta, and  his  father  at  Patten  largely  did  the  work 
of  enlisting  the  men. 

On  the  1 8th  of  April,  1864,  the  regiment,  coi> 
sisting  of  nine  companies  and  thirty-four  com- 
missioned officers, left  Augusta  (Company  K  joined 
the  regiment  at  the  North  Anna,  the  last  of  May) 
in  time  to  join  Burnside  at  Annapolis,  and  proceed 
t3  the  Rapidan  in  time  to  take  an  active  part  in 
the  battle  of  the  Wilderness  on  the  16th  of  May. 
Among  the  officers   of  the  regiment    there  were 


e.  l.  houghton's  residence. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  ZOT, 

very  few  men  without  experience,  not  only  in 
camp  and  upon  the  march,  but  on  the  battle-field. 
With  one  or  two  exceptions,  the  captains  of  the 
several  companies  were  competent  to  lead  the 
regiment  into  action.  Henry  ().  Perry,  the  first 
man  enlisted  in  the  company,  was  made  orderly 
sci'geant,  and  very  largely  the  care  of  the  men  was 
in  his  hands.  Sergeant  Perry  almost  from  the 
first  had  the  full  confidence  of  both  officers  and 
men.  He  kept  the  roll  of  the  company,  looked 
after  drawing  rations  for  the  men,  and  a  really 
sick  or  disabled  soldier  found  in  him  a  true  friend. 
No  company  in  the  regiment  was  better  pro- 
vided for,  and  no  soldier  ever  gave  better  assur- 
ance that  his  promotion  to  office  would  be  both 
in  the  interest  of  the  government,  and  the  soldiers 
under  his  c nmniand.  In  the  Wilderness,  at  Spott- 
svlvaria,  at  the  North  Anna  and  Cold  Harbor,  the 
31st  was  given  all  the  work  the}'  could  do.  In  the 
battle  of  the  Wilderness  the  loss  was  twenty-nine, 
and  Cipt.  A.  II.  Packard  and  Lieutenant  A.  J. 
Snow  were  killed.  At  5  o'clock  A.  m.,  on  the 
morning  of  May  [2th,  the  regiment  mude  its  as- 
sault upon  the  famous  Bloody  Angle,  and  drove  the 
enemy  and  lock  pessiTsioii  cf  their  works,  let  rxt 
being  properly  supported  they  fell  back, and  in  aol- 
vancc  of  our  regular  line,  and  only  a  lew  rodsfrom 
the  enemy's  wxrk,  threw  up  intrer.chmcnts  and 
held  the  < ■  round  icr  six  davr.      A<»-ain  on  the  1 8th, 


204  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


three  successive  assaults  were  made  upon  the 
enemy's  work,  with  the  terrible  loss  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty-five  men.  Ten  were  killed  out- 
right and  eighteen  died  of  their  wounds.  Among 
the  number  was  Captain  A.  K.  P.  Wallace  of  Com- 
pany B.  The  last  charge  at  Spottsylvanra,  which 
was  on  the  line  of  the  McCook  House,  was  made 
just  one  month  after  the  regiment  marched  out  of 
Augusta  to  the  time  of  "The  Girl  I  Left  Behind 
Me."'  During  that  month  over  one  seventh  of  its 
men  had  fallen  in  battle.  At  the  North  Anna 
the  regiment  was  pressed  forward  to  the  front 
and  assigned  a  pnsition  at  the  extreme  right  of 
the  line,  and  when  the  order  came,  in  the  night 
to  fall  back,  it  obeyed  the  order  like  veterans, 
and  was  the  last  to  re-cross  the  Chesterfield  bridge. 
At  the  North  Anna,  Lieutenant  W.  O.  Tibbetts  and 
four  men  were  killed  and  several  wounded.  On 
the  2d  of  June,  after  a  few  hours'  march,  they  were 
upon  the  Cold  Harbor  battlefield,  but  it  was  not 
until  the  memorable  m6ruing  cf  the  3d,  that  they 
were  actively  engaged.  After  driving  in  the  cue- 
my's  pickets,  a  line  of  battle  was  formed,  and  com- 
panies E  and  G,  Captains  Ellis. and  Getchell  com- 
manding, were  ordered  to  form  in  skirmish  lin^ 
C)ye:i:ij  the  e  itire  frcnt  of  tha  lvj-inur.a1  Iii3, 
and  advance,  supported  by  the  regiment.  In  this 
charge  there  were  twenty-nine  killed  and  forty- 
one  wounded.    (  'apt*  James  M,  Williams  and  Lieu- 


HISTORY    OF    I'OllT    FAIRFIELD. 


tenant  Charles  A.  Farrington  were  among  the 
number  killed. 

On  the  7th  of  June,  while  intrenched  near  the 
Cold  Harbor  battle-field,  Lieutenant  Edwin  S.  Ro- 
gers of  Co.  E,  who  had  been  detailed  to  command 
Co.  C, — which  found  itself  without  a  commissioned 
officer  able  to  report  for  duty — was  in  command  oi 
the  picket  line  when  a  fierce  attack  was  made  up- 
on the  line,  which  resulted  in  the  line  being  bro- 
ken and  driven  in,  and  Lieutenant  Rogers  being 
wounded  and  taken  prisoner.  Capt.  Ellis  with  Co. 
E  was  ordered  to  make  a  counter  charge  and  re- 
store and  re-establish  the  picket  line.  In  this  en- 
counter, several  men  were  killed  and  Capt.  C.  II. 
Ellis  dangerously  wounded. 

On  that  day  1st  Lieut.  Sheahan,  who  had  been 
discharged  from  the  lift  Maine  Cavalry  to  accept 
a  commission,  joined  the  regiment.  Sergeant  Per- 
ry, however,  had  largely  the  interests  and  com- 
mand of  the  regiment  upon  his  hands,  and  should 
have  been  immediately  promoted  to  the  captaincy. 

It  was  not  until  October  the  7th  that  Capt.  Ellis 
was  able  to  report  at  the  Annapolis  hospital.  Up- 
on his  arrival  there,  and  examination  by  the  sur- 
geon, it  was  decided  that  his  disability  was  per- 
manent, and  by  special  order  of  the  secretary  of  war, 
he  was  discharged  from  service.  Soon  after  the 
33d  Maine  Regiment  was  consolidated  with  the  31st, 
Capt.  Keys  of  Co.  E,  33d,  was  given  commandof Co. 


2o6 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


E,  31st,  and  as  it  was  several   months  before  the 

war  department  was  satisfied  of  the  death  of  Lieu- 
tenant Rogers,  there  was  necessarily  a  delay  before 
Sergeant  Perry  got  his  commission. 

After  the  battle  of  the  3d  of  June,  and  only  six 
weeks  after  leaving  Maine,  they  had  borne  them- 
selves so  grandly,  and  fought  so  bravely,  that  Gen- 
eral Griffin,  then  brigade  c<  n:mar.eer,  said,  "the 
31st  has  won  for  its  officers  and  men  imperishable 
renown."  On  the  17th  of  June,  the  regiment  was 
under  lire,  in  which  new  laurels  were  won,  but  at 
a  most  terrible  cost.  The  superior  ability  of  its 
officers,  and  the  courage  and  unwavering  devotion 
of  its  men,  placed  it  at  the  first  among  the  veteran 
regiments  of  the  army.  With  only  live  months  in 
the  field  it  was  virtually  wiped  cut.  Eight  cap- 
tains and  two  acting  captains  had  been  killed.  Its 
total  loss  in  officers  killed  and  mortally  wounded 
had  reached  nineteen;  a  circumstance  unp/iralled 
in  war.  The  61st  Pennsylvania  lost  an  equal  num- 
ber, but  its  battles  began  m  June,  i8$2,  and  ended 
in  April,  1855.  With  such  a  record  of  carnage  and 
death,  with  such  devotion  to  the  old  flag,  with  such 
faithful  service  for  one  country  and  one  flag,  the 
regiment  could  well  afford  to  abandon  the  field 
and  rest  upon  its  laurels.  But  such  was  not  its 
purpose,  and  such  is  not  its  record.  About  two- 
hundred  fresh  men  were  transferred  to  its  ranks, 
and   it  remained   in    the   Meld  until  the  end   of  the 


1 1  STORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  20' 


war.  The  grand  total  of  killed  and  wounded  was 
six  hundred  and  twenty-eight;  of  killed  and  mortal- 
ly wounded,  one  hundred  and  eighty- three,  and 
deaths  from  all  causes,  three  hundred  and  nine. 
Among  the  last  in  the  tield,  it  was  in  time  to  do 
valiant  service  and  win  imperishable  renown. 


2oR  HISTORY    OF    FOliT    FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

BUILDING    MILLS. 

The  early  settlers  were  encouraged  by  the  lib- 
eral policy  of  the  State,  in  assisting  them  to  secure 
homes.  Not  only  were  the  State  lands  sold  to  ac- 
tual settlers  at  fifty  cents  per  acre,  to  be  paid  in 
making  roads  for  their  own  benefit,  but  grants 
of  land  were  made  to  aid  in  building  mills  for 
the  manufacture  of  lumber  from  which  to  build 
them  homes.  The  first  errant  of  land  in  this  town- 
ship  was  to  Dudley  F.  Leavitt,  and  the  first  mill, 
aided  by  the  grant,  was  commenced  by  Pattee  and 
Frisbec,  who  had  bought  out  Mr.  Leavitt.  Mr. 
Frisbce  soon  sold  out  his  interest  to  Albion  P. 
Haywood,  and  the  mill  was  completed  and  busi- 
ness carried  on  for  several  years  by  Pattee  and 
Haywood. 

This  mill,  which  sawed  only  long  lumber,  was 
soon  supplemented  with  a  first-class  mill  for  saw- 
ing clapboards,  and  was  located  on  the  present  site 
of  Mr.  W.  A.  Haines'  mills  at  the  lower  village, 
and  on  the  Fitzherbert  brook. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  200, 

Iii  1844  another  grant  of  one  thousand  acres 
was  made  to  J.  Wingate  Haines,  upon  the  condi- 
tion of  building  a  sawmill  on  the  Johnston  brook, 
near  the  Maple  Grove  settlement.  This  mill  was 
erected  on  the  present  site  of  the  Bryant  mill,  east 
of  the  Hon.  James  R.  Thurlough's  farm.  This  was 
soon  followed  by  a  mill  at  the  mouth  of  the  Love- 
ly brook,  for  sawing  short  lumber,  and  in  which 
Mr.  E.  P.  Whitney  carried  on  an  extensive  busi- 
ness, for  those  times,  lor  several  years- 

C.  II.  Ellis  built  a  shingle  mill  on  the  Johnston 
brook,  about  sixty  rods  below  the  Haines  sawmill, 
and  about  one  mile  below,  the  Whidden  mill  was 
built,  and  operated  successively  by  Osco  A.  Ellis 
and  John  F.  Ellis. 

Mr.  William  A.  Sampson  bought  out  the  shingle 
mill  built  by  C.  II.  Ellis,  and  changed  it  over  into 
a  grist  mill,  and  erected  another  building  for  a 
carding  machine,  and  put  in  steam  power. 

Deacon  Hiram  Stevens  had  sold  his  Maple  Grove 
farm,  and  commenced  another  back  from  the  river 
and  about  two  miles  from  the  village.  Finding  a 
large  amount  of  cedar  timber  on  his  and  adjoining 
land,  he  put  in  a  steam  mill  and  did  a  good  busi- 
ness manufacturing  shingles.  Deacon  Foster  and 
Mr.  Randall  bought  the  old  Pattee  and  I  lay  ward 
mills  and  proceeded  tj  build  a  gristmill.  Mr.  Ran- 
dall soon  died,  and  his  son,  John  II.  Randall,  took 
his  interest  in  the  mills,      A  Mr.  Barnes  who  had 


2IO  HISTORY  Or  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 

run  the  carding  mill  for  \Y.  A.  Sampson,  bought 

it  and  removed  it  to  the  site  of  the  .Whitney  mill, 
on  the  Lovely  brook.  Deacon  Foster  and  his  son, 
Lincoln  Fester,  proceeded  to  build  a  mill  on  the 
dam  which  had  been  put  in  to  hold  water  for  their 
mills  at  the  village,  where  the  Monson  mill  now 
stands.  Deacon  Stevens  sold  out  his  mill  proper- 
ty and  bought  the  beautiful  Bishop  Hats,  upon  the 
bank  of  the  Aroostook  river,  and  proceeded  to 
build  up  his  present  extensive  business  at  Stevens- 
ville.  The  Howe  mills,  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river,  were  built,  a  dam  was  put  in  on  the  Johnston 
brook  in  the  village  and  a  mill  erected;  and  a  steam 
mill  at  the  lower  village  for  sawing  staves  and 
heading,  by  Mr.  J.  I>.  Robbins. 

On  the  dam  at  the  Johnston  brook  there  is  new 
a  large  starch  f'actorv,  and  the  Magi  11  carding  ma- 
chine,  and  doors,  stairs,  and  moulding  factory.  In 
addition  to  a  complete  supply  of  lumber  for  the 
home  market,  a  large  amount  of  short  lumber  has 
been  annually  shipped  to  the  Boston  market.  But- 
ter and  cheese  factories  have  been  established  in 
the  town,  but  the  large  profits  on  the  potato  crops 
have  been  too  attractive  to  allow  any  other  farm- 
ing .industry  a  sure  footing. 

For  many  years  the  manufacturing  of  split  cr 
shaved  shingles  was  an  important  business,  and  but 
for  the  fortunate  introduction  of  the  potato  industry, 
the   lumbering  business    would  stand    Erst   in  our 


HON.    W.    E.    PARSONS     RESIDENCE. 


THE  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 


HISTORY    OF    PORT: .FAIRFIELD.  213 


town.  The  growing  timber  on  the  headwaters  of 
the  Fitzherbert  brook  will  supply  logs  for  the 
Monson  mill  for  a  generation^  and  the  Bryant  mill 
will  not  stand  to  manufacture  the  lumber  within 
its  reach;  the  Haines  mill  obtains  its  supply  most- 
ly from  the  headwaters  of  the  Fitzherbert  brook, 
while  the  Stevens  manufacturing  company  and 
the  Howe  mill  obtain  their  supply  of  lumber  from 
the  waters  of  the  Aroostook  river  and  its  tribu- 
taries. 

STARCH    FACTORIES. 

The  man  who  first  invested  his  money  in  a  starch 
factory  in  Fort  Fairfield  was  indeed  a  public  bene- 
factor. While  it  may  be  true  that  he  only  looked 
to  his  individual  interest,  and  only  thought  of  mak- 
ing money,  his  act  has  proved  of'almost  inestimable 
benefit  to  the  town  and  county.  Without  the  in- 
troduction of  this  brancli  of  miriufactarmgj  the 
farmers  would  not  have  been  warranted  in  en- 
gaging in  extensive  potato  raising,  and  while  the 
six  potato  factories  in  this  town  depend  largely  up- 
on sm  ill  and  damaged  pptutocs,  in  other  sections 
of  the  county,  and  farther  from  the  railroads,  the 
starch  faetoriej  have  to  a  Urge:*  extent  c:itereJ  in- 
to the  potato  raising  industrv. 

The  one  fact  that  through  the  starch  factories, 
potatoei  cm  alw.iyj  be  solj  above  the  cost  of  pro- 
duction, places  the  farmers  where  they  can  safely 
raise  large  crops,  an/a  by  so  doing  be  in  a  situation 


214 


HISTORY    OF    FOIJT    FAIRFIELD. 


to  meet  any  demand  that  the  market  may  make  up- 
on them.  *  In  fact,  the  starch  industry  and  raising 
potatoes  for  the  market  by  the  Aroostook  farmers, 
have  come  to  be  looked  upon  as  one  industry.  The 
mills,  whether  to  manufacture  the  timber  into 
boards  and  shingles  or  the  potatoes  into  starch, 
are  the  avenues  through  which  raw  material  is 
converted  into  better  condition  to  be  shipped  to 
the  markets  of  the  world,  and  at  the  same  time 
give  additional  employment  for  labor  in  the  home 
market,  and  by  so  much  increase  the  wealth  and 
prosperity  of  the  country. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  2  1 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

SCHOOLS    OF  FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

In  this  far  land,  beneath  the  shadow  of  the  north 
pole,  where  the  solt  zephyrs  rustled  the  tiny  needles 
of  the  stately  pines  and  joined  their  rythmic  strains 
with  the  solemn  dirge  of  the  tierce  north  wind, 
making  weird  music  to  charm  the  dusky  savage 
stealthily  stalking  the  antlered  moose  to  his  ever- 
green coverts,  the  voice  of  Minerva  had  not  pen- 
etrated to  open  the  minds  of  the  dwellers  to  the 
beauties  of  their  surroundings. 

Here,  mid  the  primeval  forests  whose  deep  shade 
afforded  shelter  to  the  wilcy  fox  and  timid  deer; 
where  the  beams  of  the  rising  sun  kissed  the  flut- 
tering leaves,  the  first  settlers  hewed  their  log  cab- 
ins and  reared  their  families.  No  books  graced 
the  rough  walls,  and  none  they  knew,  save  the 
great  book  nature  spread  out  before  them,  with 
leaves  of  variegated  hue  in  summer,  and  in  winter 
bound  with  snowy  cover  and  sealed  with  ribs  of 
ice. 

No   schools   knew    they   except   the   schools    of 


216  history  cf  ici.t  rAir.rn.ir. 

trout  and  salmon  which  in  abundance  swarmed 
the  streams  whose  sparkling  waters  were  closely 
studied,  as  within  their  limpid  depths  and  rushing 
cascades  lay  their  choiciest  food;  and  thus,  for 
years,  these  hard}'  pioneers  lived,  loved,  felled  the 
forest,  tilled  the  soil  and  educated  their  children  in 
the  traditions  of  the  past  as  they  clustered  around 
the  open  lire  on  the  long  winter  evenings. 

"For  learning  and  for  book?,'1  they  said, 

'•They  never  had  a  \vi>h; 
No  school  to  them  was  woith  a  fig, 

Except  a  school  of  fish." 

For  many  years  the  rparsely  settled  territory 
along  the  banks  of  the  Areostcck  river,  new  the 
"Garden  of  Maine,"  had  neither  schools  nor  school- 
houses;  but  as  new  settlers  came  to  assist  in  devel- 
oping the  resources  of  the  forest,  making  homes 
for  themselves,  a  desire  to  educate  their  children 
became  the  leading  one  with  many  of  them;  and 
efforts  were  made  to  establish  a  school  where  the 
youths  of  the  settlement  could  gain  a  rudimentary 
education. 

Until  1848,  desultory  attempts  were  made  to 
teach  the  children;  now  a  school  would  be  held 
in  some  seven  by  nine  shanty,  and  then  in  more 
commodious  quarters.  The  first  traditional  effort 
to  have  a  school  occurred  sometime  in  the  early 
forties,  when  Mrs.  Lovejoy,  who  had  accompanied 
her  husband  to  this  locality,  taught  the  children  of 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD, 


a  few  settlers  in  one  of  these  rude  cabins  which  at 
the  time  happened  to  be  unoeeupied. 

When  the  posse  was  quartered  in  the  barracks, 
one  of  the  numbers  opened  a  school;  and,  while 
he  practiced  the  manual  of  arms,  taught  the  more 
ennobling  arts  of  peace. 

In  \iS  or  '49,  a  small  schoolhousc  was  erected 
near  the  residence  of  Wingate  Haines,  being  the 
first  in  the  limits  of  the  present  town;  and,  soon, 
there  followed  the  red  schoolhousc  of  local  fame, 
the  black  schoolhousc  at  the  Corner,  one  in  the 
Bishop  neighborhood  and  one  at  the  village,  near 
the  present  residence  of  Mr.  Webber,  built  by  a 
stock  company  consisting  of  C.  R.  Paul,  J.  Sterl- 
ing, Gen.  Trafton,  S.  B.  Pattce,  El  bridge  W. 
Waitc,  A.  S.  Richards,  Wm.  Johnston  and  J.  B. 
Wing. 

Here  in  this  rude  structure  the  children  received 
their  instruction  in  the  clcmcntarv  work  of  educa- 
c.ition,  under  the  care  of  faithful  teachers;  and 
from  its  walls  went  forth  many  students  whose 
career  ennobled  the  little,  old  structure  as  well  as 
those  who  gave  of  their  substance  that  it  might  be 
a  benefit  to  the  rising  generation. 

But  like  many  things  that  have  outgrown  their 
usefulness,  the  room  that  echoed  to  the  merry 
voices  of  the  children  of  long  ago,  and  within 
which  the  earnest  teacher  strove  to  impress  upon 
the  minds  of  his  scholars  wise  and  serious  truths. 


2l8  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

the  duty  of  obedience  and  a  desire  for  knowledge, 
Ions  since  became  the  repository  of  vulgar  handi- 

work,  and  now  stands  across  the  railroad  track 
converted  into  a  tenement:  "Sic  transit  gloria 
mundi/' 

At  the  organization  of  the  township  into  the 
plantation  called  Letter  D,  the  citizens  chose  Chas. 
R.  Paul  supervisor  of  schools;  and  this  honorable 
position  he  rilled  well  and  faithfully  for  three  years, 
and  as  money  was  scarce  and  the  people  poor,  he 
took  for  his  valuable  services,  one  of  the  teachers, 
Miss  Agnes  C.  Johnston,  who  was  one  of  the  suc- 
cessful teachers  in  those  days  when  schools  were 
rare  and  wages  low. 

About  '58  the  village  was  divided  into  two  dis- 
tricts; and  the  citizens  of  the  upper  district,  in 
conjunction  with  Isaac  Hacker,  erected  a  two 
story  building,  the  upper  flat  being  owned  and  used 
by  Mr.  Hacker  as  a  public  hall,  while  the  lower 
room  was  fitted  up  for  school  purposes. 

For  several  years  the  village  schools  were  taught 
in  these  two  buildings,  the  scholars,  meanwhile, 
becoming  more  numerous  as  new  additions  to  the 
place  were  made  by  people  from  the  western  part 
of  the  state,  who  became  settlers  of  the  town. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  the  war,  the  two  districts 
in  the  village  were  united;  the  upper  district  con- 
veyed their  school  property  t3  the  town,  and  the 
lower  district    sold    the   old   school    house   to  Mr. 


HISTORY    OF    FOUT    FAIRFIELD. 


219 


Isaac   Hacker,  who   had  it  m  >veJ  to  the  foot  of 

Fort  Hill.  While  moving  the  building,  the  plaster- 
ing was  shaken  irom  the  ceiling,  and  other  damage 
done  that  demanded  speedy  repair,  and  Mr.  Hacker 
engaged  the  serviees  of  C.  R.  Paul,  a  master  mason, 
to  repair  the  broken  ceiling;  Mr.  Hacker  going  up 
through  the  seuttle  hole  to  arrrange  some  things 
in  the  attic. 

Charles  labored  industriously  to  cover  the  frae- 
ture  with  laths  and  mortar:  and  with  weary  limbs 
and  perspiring  brow,  sat  down  to  rest  after  com- 
pleting the  job.  But  soon  the  voice  of  Mr.  I  lacker 
was  heard  in  the  attic  calling,  "Paul,  Paul,  why 
persecutes^  thou   nu?  Let  nu  out,  let  m:  down!" 

Sure  enough,  Charles  had  plastered  up  the  scut- 
tle hole  in  the  ceiling  where  Mr.  Hacker  had  gone 
up  through;  and  to  his  dismay,  all  the  hard  work 
had  to  be  done  over  again,  in  order  to  let  the  pris- 
oner escape. 

Among  the  early  teachers  whose  names  will  be 
remembered  by  the  older  residents,  are  found: 
Stacy  Fowler,  Wm.  Trafton,  Mr.  Thompson,  Chas. 
Ilefrin,  Mr.  Cut,  Mis;  Lizzie  Bean,  Miss  Hay- 
wood, Miss  Stackpolc,  Miss  M.  L.  Libby  and  Miss 
A    C.  Johnston, 

The  unity  of  the  districts  in  one,  gave  the  people 
ample  means  to  have  more  commodious  quarters 
than  heretofore;  and  the  district  purchased  a  lot 
near  the  residence   of  Wm.   Small;    and  in  con- 


2CO 


HISTORY  CF  l'Ci:T  FAIRFIELD, 


junction  with  Eastern  Frontier  Lodge,  No.  112,  F. 

&  A.  M.,  erected  a  large  building  for  that  time; 
the  Masons  occupying  the  third  floor  for  lodge  pur- 
poses, and  the  other   two   being  used  for  schools. 

Here  was  held  for  several  years  a  tuition  high 
school;  the  people  feeling  that  a  higher  grade 
would  enable  them  to  achieve  far  better  results 
than  the  ordinary  C3:h:tid:i  scheols,  as  by  the  laws 
of  the  State,  certain  studies  could  iut  be  tauzht 
which  were  of  importance  to  thnjj  who  desired  to 
become  teachers.  The  tuition  high  schools  were 
taught  by  F.  W.  Smith,  Miss  F.  E.  Ilinckly,  Mis; 
E.  F.  Ilinckly,  Miss  A.  E.  Small,  Miss  M.'c.  Call 
and  Miss  II.  C  Ring. 

While  the  village  and  two  or  three  outlying  dis- 
tricts  were  fairly  well  supplied  with  school  houses, 
a  large  number  of  the  districts  hail  none  at  all,  or 
if  any,  so  poor  an  apology  for  a  house  that  schools 
could  be  kept  in  them  only  in  the  summer.  In 
1870,  even,  although  the  town  contained  eight  hun- 
dred and  eight  scholars,  and  numbered  twenty  dis- 
tricts, it  is  no!:  surprising,  under  the  old  district 
system,  to  read  the  following  in  the  school  report: 

"In  the  matter  of  school  .houses,  it  seems  to  us 
that  the  time  has  come  for  the  town  to  tike  aetioi 
according  to  the  law  passed  by  the  legislature 
of  1 85/,  to  raise  money  and  assess  taxes  on  sever- 
al of  the  districts  in  town,  for  the  purpose  of  bail  :F 
i;v<  s:hoo!h  jase  s.     Increase  n;.nv  twcu':y  districts 


GEO.    L.    FOSS  AND  FEARLESS. 


*•  jn*      9    i        T. v.va.j iy,v-fc»f.»'».'.'>i    ^_.      •^''••al^lWi 

J    .  1 

"  i 

C.    C.    ROGERS'    BUILDING. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  223 

in  town,  and  only  seven  houses  in  which  a  winter 
school  can  be  held:  and  some  of  these  are  mere 
shells,  and  very  uncomfortable." 

The  report  of  1872  reads:  "Some  districts  are 
unable  to  build  schoolhouses;  and  the  town,  know- 
ing their  inability,  will'- not  compel  them  to  do  so, 
while  others,  more  able,  are  doubly  unwilling,  and 
voters  shrink  from  any  compulsory  nzt  which 
seems  like  partial  suffrage.  How  can  we  rem- 
edy the  evil  ?  Some  are  confident  that  good  school- 
houses  would  be  secured  by  abolishing  the  'dis- 
trict system/  but  who  will  abolish  it?  The  vo- 
ters in  each  town  have  the  power,  but  in  our 
rural  towns  have  not  the  inclination.  I  do  not 
think  that  five  intelligent  men,  after  a  careful  ex- 
amination, could  be  found  who  would  abolish 
the   district  system/1 

Shade  of  departed  greatness. 
Now  hath  the  mighty  fallen  ! 

During  the  several  previous  years,  the  schools 
of  the  town  were  under  the  instruction  of  Misses 
S.J.  Waite,  Mary  Cummings,  M.  A.  Ketchum,  L. 
E.  Sterling,  A.  S.  Small,  O.  A.  Currier,  M.  E. 
Hyde,  L.  A.  Putnam,  I.  D.  Haines  and  several 
others  of  whom  the  supervisors  were  pleased  to  say 
that  they  labored  earnestly  and  wellfor  the  pupils 
under  their  care,  handicapped  as  the}-  were  by  a 
lack  of  proper  apparatus. 

The    several  t-uuns   of  tuition   high  school  had 


224  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

given  the  people  a  chance  to  learn  of  their  value; 
and  the  State  having  passed  a  law,  appropriating 
funds  to  towns  that  would  raise  money  for  the  sup- 
port oi  free  high  schools,  this  town  was  not  far 
behind  in  availing  itself  of  the  advantage  which 
this  fund  afforded,  and  in  the  school  report  of 
i  <S 7 3 ?  the  supervisor  appeals  to  the  voters  of  the 
town  to  avail  themselves  of  this  benifico.it  boon  in 
tire  following: 

"For  several  years  our  high  school  has  been  de- 
pendent on  tuition  for  support;  but,  through  the 
liberality  of  the  legislature,  we  may  now  make  its 
blessings  free  to  all  our  youth.  By  raising  this 
fund  we  receive  as  much  from  the  State  to  defray 
the  expense  of  instruction,  and  make  it  a  /rcc  as 
well  as  a  high  school.  Let  r.s  by  our  votes  open 
the  avenues  to  science  so  that  our  youth  may  come 
without  money  and  without  price  to  share  its  blcs- 


sm^s. 


At  the  annual  town  meeting  of  1873,  the  town 
voted  to  raise  $250  for  the  support  of  a  free  high 
school.  The  tuition  school  became  a  thing  of  the 
past,  yet  its  good  work  lived  and  shone  forth  in  the 
energy  of  those  teachers  who  had  there  received 
their  instruction;  and  the  memory  of  those  faith- 
ful instructors  who  labored  for  their  pupils  will 
remain  a  golden  halo  in  the  breasts  of  their  schol- 
ars till  time  draws  their  mantle  about  them  and 
they  lie  down  to  pleasant  dreams, 


HISTORY    OF    FOllT    FAIRFIELD. 


The  first  term  of  free  high  school  was  under  the 
instruction  of  Miss  Ilattic  C.  Ring  of  Lubec,  with 
Nicholas  Fesscnden,  now  secretary  of  State,  as  as- 
sistant, who  was  also  supervisor,  and  in  his  report 
says  of  the  school:  "The  principal  was  earnest  in 
her  efforts,  and  sustained  her  high  reputation  as 
an  efficient  and  thorough  instructor." 

The  fal  1  term  was  under  the  management  of 
Nicholas  Fesscnden,  principal,  and  Miss  Man*  E. 
Hyde  assistant,  and  Mr.  Fesscnden  modestly  adds, 
•"Very  much  of  the  success  and  merit  of  the 
school,  if  it  had  any,  was  due  to  the  faithful  and 
competent  labors  of  Miss  Hyde,  who  brought  to 
her  work  accurate  and  advanced  knowledge,  com- 
bined with  ready  tact  to  teach  and  love  for  the 
labor/' 

Miss  Hyde  was  also  principal  of  a  branch  of 
the  high  school,  taught  at  Maple  Grove,  which  ful- 
ly sustained  the  reputation  of  the  teacher  for  skill 
and  accuracy. 

A  new  corps  of  teachers  now  wielded  the  "gad," 
among  which  were, — Misses  Lizzie  E.  Trafton,  M. 
E.  Knight,  Carrie  Richards,  Mary  Haley,  L.  J.  Cur- 
rier, Alice  J.  Small,  Mr.  V.  B.  Wilson  and  II.  C. 
Townsend. 

The  nightmare  of  educational  progress  hung 
heavily  upon  the  minds  of  the  people,  and  yet  val- 
iant efforts  were  made  by  the  faithful  friends  to 
dispel  the  dark  cloud  that  for  years  had  hung  black 


26  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


and  lowering  above  the  educational  horizon  in  the 
hateful  guise  of  the  "district  system."  As  late  as 
1S75,  the  baleful  effects  of  this  octopus  is  por- 
trayed in  the  report  of  the  supervisor:  and  all  the 
friends  of  the  old  district  system  should  read  the 
same. 

"Fourteen  hundred  dollars  due  from  the  town  to 
schools  unexpended:  and  only  six  decent  school- 
houses  in  town. 

uNo  maps,  no  globes,  dictionaries,  charts  or 
blackboards  of  any  importance  in  any  district  in 
the  town." 

And  in  the  matter  of  teachers  and  agents  the 
report  reads:  "It  seems  to  me  the  supervisor 
should  have  the  whole  control  of  hiring  teachers, 
instead  of  dividing  that  responsibility  with  twenty- 
two  agents  who  stand  upon  middle  ground  between 
the  supervisor  and  the  teachers.  In  many  cases 
the  actions  of  the  agent  sav  to  the  supervisor,  "You 
would  not  certificate  the  teacher  I  hired  and  I  will 
not  hire  the  teacher  you  certificate." 

In  the  matter  of  schoolhouses  the  report  truth- 
fully says:  "The  other  sixteen  buildings  are  cold, 
cheerless  pens,  unfit  for  a  human  being  to  tenant. 
Poor  seats,  and  often  none,  unless  a  plank,  poor 
floors,  in  fact,  poor  in  every  respect,  and  the  only 
cause  of  wonderment  is,  that  teachers  can  teach, 
and  scholars  can  study  as  well  as  they  do,  in  them. 
Where  does  the  responsibility  lie?      Let  the  town 


HISTORY    Or    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


227 


abolish  the  district  system,  take  possession  of  the 
school  property,  have  at  its  disposal,  in  addition  to 
tin4  sum  now  raised,  precisely  the  amount  the  dis- 
tricts expend  for  new  school  houses  and  repairs, 
and  in  a  comparatively'  short  time  all  the  school- 
houses  can  be  made  good,  or  new  ones  built  wher- 
ever needed;  and,  gradually,  maps,  globes,  black- 
boards, dictionaries  and  such  necessary  appliances 
will  make  their  appearance/' 

After  reading  the  above  it  is  refreshing  to  the 
faithful,  earnest  friends  of  education  to  look  over 
the  town  in  this  year,  1894,  and  behold  what  havoc 
the  hand  of  time  has  made  with  the  district  system 
and  what  bcantiful  results  have  followed  its  aboli- 
tion. 

The  schools  of  the  village  are  really  examples 
of  the  progress  made  throughout  the  town;  and 
hence  these  schools  will  form  the  nucleus  of  the 
present  history. 

The  fall  term  of  free  high  school  was  under  the 
management  of  Charles  F.  Ilawes,  a  graduate  of 
Bowdoin,  assisted  bv  Frank  P.  Orcutt;  the  spring- 
term  by  E.  J.  Pratt  with  R.  B.  Burns  as  assistant. 
Among  the  teachers  of  the  town  may  be  found 
Misses  Carrie  Richards,  Nellie  E.  Thurlough,  Em- 
ma Slocomb,  Mattie  J.  Findlen,  Lillie  Hopkins, 
Rose  Thurlough,  Sadie  T.  Iloyt,  Rose  Haley,  Kate 
Haley,  Tressa  Findlen,  Frankie  Farrel  and  Flor- 
ence E.  Rollins. 


2  28  HISTORY    OF    FOKT    FAIRFIELD. 

The  report  of  1877  shows  that  the  earnest  work 
of  the  educators  had  produced  good  results,  and 
an  entering  wedge  had  been  placed,  which,  if  prop- 
erly propelled,  would  be  of  lasting  benefit  to  the 
schools.  The  report  states:  "By  vote  of  the  town 
the  hiring  of  teachers  was  transferred  to  the  su- 
pervisor/' And  in  regard  to  schoolhouses, — "We 
have  only  five  schoolhouses  suitable  for  winter 
schools.  In  eight  there  have  been  no  winter 
schools  on  account  of  their  unfitness;  this  state  of 
things  ought  not  to  be,  but  who  is  able  to  point  out 
a  remedy?'' 

The  above  statement  sounds  strange  to  the  stu- 
dent of  to-day  when  he  recalls  that,  in  1875,  tnc 
valuation  of  the  town  was  one  half  a  million  dollars, 
a  population  of  about  two  thousand  five  hundred, 
some  one  thousand  scholars,  and  a  school  fund  of 
$4,125,  and  as  late  as  the  annual  meeting  in  March, 
1877,  $1,458  of  the  school  fund  remained  unex- 
pended, for  lack  of  proper  school  facilities. 

In  1876,  the  free  high  school  was  taught  by  E. 
J.  Pratt,  Miss  L.  A.  Putnam  assisting;  and  in  the 
spring  by  Miss  M.  C.  Hunter,  assisted  by  F.  P. 
Orcutt  These  schools  were  well  attended,  and 
good  results  followed.  The  teachers  were  com- 
petent, experienced  and  ambitious. 

In  1877,  one  new  schoolhouse  was  built  in  the 
Powers  district,  and  the  supervisor  hails  with  joy 
this  awakening  of  the  people  to  their  wants  in  his 
report. 


HISTORY    OF    FOKT    FAIRFIELD, 


229 


"With  one  laudable  exception,  the  schoolhouses 

are  in  the  same  condition  as  at  the  close  of  last 
year.  District  No.  6,  has  within  the  year,  com- 
pleted an  elegant  schoolhouse,  which  stands  as  a 
monument  to  the  liberality  and  educational  standing 
of  the  district,  which  has  so  heavily  taxed  itself  for 
this  much  needed  institution,  and  as  a  reproach  to 
other  districts,  equally  able  to  do  in  proportion  to 
their  valuation,  what  this  district  has  so  nobly 
done.  It  may  well  be  hoped  that  the  erection  of 
this  new  schoolhouse,  now  the  best  in  town,  may 
excite  an  honorable  spirit  of  emulation  in  other 
districts,  for  without  comfortable  houses,  good  and 
profitable  schools  are  an  impossibility. " 

The  citizens  of  this  district  were,  indeed,  proud 
of  their  efforts;  and  when  the  building  was  com- 
pleted, arranged  to  have  it  appropriately  dedicated 
to  the  cause  of  education;  and  the  committee  of 
arrangements  invited  N.  II.  Martin,  principal  of 
the  high  school,  to  deliver  the  dedication  speech, 
which  he  did  from  the  text,  "And  it  was  in  the 
heart  of  David  to  build  an  house  to  the  Most  High 
God/' 


2^0  HISTORY  OF  FOKT  FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

SCHOOLS  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD — CONTINUED. 

The  Free  High  School  in  the  fall  of  1877  was 
under  the  instruction  of  N.  II.  Martin,  B.  S.,  as 
principal,  assisted  by  R.  13.  Burns,  B.  C.  L.,  both 
graduates  of  the  Maine  State  College  of  Agricul- 
ture and  Mechanic  Arts. 

Of  this  school  the  supervisor,  N.  Fessenden,  says 
in  his  report:  "One  of  the  best,  if  not  the  best,  free 
high  school  which  we  have  ever  had,  in  all  re- 
spects justifying  the  reputation  of  the  teachers  and 
the  wisdom  of  the  expenditure  of  the  town  money 
for  free  high  schools/' 

The  legislature  of  1880,  ostensibly  t;j  curtail 
State  expenses,  suspended  the  act  donating  funds 
for  the  free  high  schools;  and  the  supervisor,  Mr. 
Martin,  has  this  to  say  of  the  action: 

"In  suspending  the  act  relating  to  free  high 
schools,  the  legislature  has  done  a  gross  injustice 
to  our  country  teachers, *whose  limited  means  will 
not  enable  them  to  go  away  from  home  to  prepare 
themselves  to  teach." 


ALMON    S.    RICHARDS, 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  233 

This  year  the  supervisor  adopted  the  system  of 
public  examination  of  teachers;  an  i  novation  in  the 
time  honored  custom  of  teachers  engaging  schools 
and  then  getting  private  examinations;  and  one  of 
the  teachers  who  Failed  to  pass  satisfactorily,  ex- 
pressed the  sentiment  of  the  teachers  as  well  as 
of  the  friends  of  the  district  system.  "Why,"  said 
she.  "we  never  have  thought  about  getting  a  cer- 
tificate; all  we  cared  was  to  get  hired  for  a  school 
and  the  supervisor  did  not  dare  refuse  us  a  certifi- 
cate.''  K'j.il  nice  idea,  was  it  not?  and  one  tend- 
ing to  increase  the  interest  and  intelligence  of  the 
teaching  force. 

This  system  of  public  examinations  had  come 
to  stay,  however;  and,  although  the  supervisor 
who  inaugurate:!  the  same  was  condemned  on 
all  sides,  by  friends  as  well  as  enemies,  yet  the 
good  results  that  followed  its  adoption  is  ample 
satisfaction  to  him,  as  it  has  been  the  means  of 
having  better  teachers,  and  consequently,  better 
schools. 

The  teaching  force  of  these  years  was  Misses 
Estelle  G  Ketchum,  Eva  Johnston,  Frankie  Farrell, 
Si  lie  T.  Hoyt,  Lillie  Hopkins,  Emma  Slocomb, 
Rose  Haley,  Kate  Haley,  Mary  Belyea,  etc. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  1881,  Rev.  Hudson 
Sawyer,  rector  of  St.  Paul's  Episcopal  Church,  was 
elected  supervisor:  and  being  in  accord  with  the 
principal  of  the   high  school,  Mr.  Martin,  various 


234  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

methods  were  adopted  to  aid  the  teachers  in  their 
work.  Among  the  different  things  inaugurated 
were  the  teachers' meetings,  to  which  all  theteach- 
ers  in  town  were  invited,  and  given  an  opportunity 
to  state  their  plans  and  methods,  as  well  as  to 
listen  to  the  experience  of  others. 

These  meetings  were  a  veritable  normal  school 
department,  and  nearly  every  one  entered  into  the 
work  with  zeal,  realizing  that  lasting  benefit  would 
result  from  a  continuance  of  the  communication  of 
ideas. 

The  following  year,  Rev.  Mr.  Sawyer  recom- 
mended in  his  annual  report:  "First,  every  district 
should  be  supplied  with  wall  maps.  Second,  dis- 
solve the  system  and  adopt  the  town  plan.  Third, 
vote  money  for  your  free  high  school." 

The  legislature  of  1881  had  renewed  the  act  re- 
lating to  the  maintainance  of  free  high  schools, 
and  the  town  willingly  and  eagerly  voted  a  sum  of 
money  for  its  support.  The  darkness  that  had 
hung  over  the  educational  work  of  the  zealous 
teachers  and  parents  for  many  years  had  became 
unbearable;  and  by  the  united  efforts  of  these 
workers,  a. ray  of  light  shone  across  the  horizon, 
which,  at  the  annual  meeting  in  1882,  burst  forth 
in  an  effulgent  flame  whose  glare  almost  dazzled 
the  eyes  of  those  honored  and  devoted  seekers  for 
better  school  accommodations,  as  the  town  voted 
to  abolish  that  relic  of  by-gone  days,  the  "district 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  235 

system,"  and  to  adopt  the  "town  plan,"  which  ev- 
ery true  friend  of  education  felt  and  knew  would 
carry  blessings  untold  to  the  rising  generation ;  and 
the  results  predicted  have  been  more  than  verified 
during  the  few  years  that  have  passed  since  the 
change. 

Too  much  praise  cannot  be  given  Rev.  Hudson 
Sawyer  for  his  untiring  efforts  for  the  abolition  of 
the  district  system,  and  his  business-like  methods 
in  conducting  the  schools  of  the  town.  To  his  sa- 
gacity and  zeal  are  due,  in  a  great  measure,  the 
rapid  development  of  school  property;  and  the 
pupils  ol  to-day  have  them  to  thank  that  the}'  are 
housed  in  comfortable  rooms  with  apparatus 
worthy  of  the  name;  and  when  after  three  years 
of  patient  toil,  Rev.  Mr.  Sawyer  severed  his  con- 
nection with  the  schools,  the  town  lost  a  warm 
advocate  of  progressive  education,  as  well  as  a 
worthy  citizen. 

During  the  management  of  affairs  under  the  su- 
pervision of  Rev.  Mr.  Sawyer  and  the  following 
school  officials,— F.  P.  Grant,  II.  O.  Perry,  II.  C. 
Townsend  and  A.  D.  Sawyer, — the  school  proper- 
ty had  assumed  such  gigantic  proportions  that  the 
report  of  1889  reads  like  a  chapter  from  Arabian 
Nights,  and  truly  the  wand  of  the  magician  had 
waved  over  the  town. 

"We  have  now  twenty-six  schoolhouses,  six 
more  than  Presque  Isle  and  five  more  than  Cari- 


236  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


boil/'  Nearly  every  one  is  supplied  with  wall 
maps,  charts,  blackboards,  dictionaries,  books  of 
reference,  improved  seats  and  desks  and  commod- 
ious out-buildings.  The  value  of  school  property 
is  estimated  to  be  $1,200,  number  of  scholars  one 
thousand  one  hundred  and  seventy,  and  a  school 
fund  of  $5,229, — a  showing  in  which  any  town 
may  well  feel  just  pride,  and  which  places  this 
town  among  the  foremost  in  the  State. 

From  1S77  to  1887,  the  free  high  school  was  un- 
der the  instruction  of  N.  II.  Martin,  B.  S.,  with  R. 
B.  Burns,  B.  C.  E.,  Miss  E.  G.  Ketchum,  Miss 
Alice  Knowland,  Miss  Isa  E.  Harvey  and  Miss 
Myrtle  L.  Ketchum  as  assistants. 

These  schools  were  well  attended,  and  many 
teachers  here  received  their  education;  and  the 
high  standing  of  the  school  and  qualitv  of  instruc- 
tion is  too  well  known  to  make  but  a  passing  com- 
ment from  the  report  of  1887.  "Of  the  qualitv  of 
instruction,  it  is  needless  to  speak.  Mr.  Martin's 
superior  abilitv  in  classification,  enables  him  to  ac- 
complish commendable  results."  And  the  assist- 
ants were  no  less  worthy  of  praise,  not  only  for 
their  untiring  efforts  for  the  welfare  of  the  school, 
but  also  for  their  erudition  and  methods  of  im- 
parting the  principles  of  knowledge  to  those  under 
their  care. 

In  February,  1885,  the  school  house  was  burned, 
and  by  the  courtscy  of  Mr.  Hacker,  the  school  was 
held  in  Memorial  Hall. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  2tf 

Later  in  the  season  the  town  hall  was  fitted  up, 
and  in  conjunction  with  the  hall  above,  was  used 
lor  school  purposes,  where  the  scholars  alternate- 
ly froze  and  thawed  during  the  long  weary  win- 
ters. 

At  the  annual  meeting  in  1887,  the  town  voted 
to  establish  a  high  school  with  a  course  of  study, 
and  also  voted  to  build  a  new  house  to  accommo- 
date the  needs  of  the  increasing  number  of  scholars. 

The  schoolhouse  was  completed  in  season  to 
have  the  fall  term  taught  therein,  and  the  same 
was  conducted  by  Chas.  A.  Washburn,  with  Miss 
Myrtle  L.  Ketchum  assistant. 

The  school  building,  both  in  design  of  architcc- 
ture  and  workmanship,  reflect  very  little  credit  to 
either  the  town  or  parties  interested  in  its  erection, 
and  shows  plainly  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  town, 
when  large  sums  of  money  are  to  be  expended,  to 
see  that  men  are  chosen  to  superintend  the  ex- 
penditures that  have  some  knowledge  of  the  busi- 
ness. 

The  teachers  at  this  period  comprised  Misses 
Alice  Whitney,  Isa  E.  Harvey,  Myrtle  L.  Ketchum, 
Alice  Haley,  Jane  Haley,  Annie  J.  Bishop,  Flora 
Rackliff,  Mr/ 1 1.  W.  Trafton,  C.  C.  Harvey,  M. 
X.  Drew,  etc. 

After  the  expiration  of  the  spring  term  of  iSSS, 
Mr.  Wm.  L.  Powers  was  engaged  as  principal  of 
the  high  school,  with  Miss  Kate  Winslow  as  assist- 


238  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

ant;  and  in  1891  the  first  class  graduated,  consist- 
ing of  the  following:  Misses  Lulu  M.  Condon, 
Mattie  E.  Hopkins,  Cordis  M.  King,  Mr.  D.  Mc- 
Pherson  Harvey,  Jerre  II.  Libby  and  Sterling  Fes- 
senden.  Of  the  undergraduates  there  were  eighty- 
nine  in  attendance,  with  ten  pupils  in  the  first  class. 

Dr.  A.  D.  Sawyer  had  charge  of  the  schools  of 
the  town  as  supervisor,  and  marked  progress  was 
made  in  all  departments  of  school  work  throughout 
the  town.  The  high  school,  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Mr.  Powers,  a  teacher  of  exceptional  qual- 
ification, with  a  corps  of  able  assistants,  made  even 
better  progress  than  the  most  sanguine  had  ex- 
pected, and  placed  the  school  among  the  foremost 
of  its  kind  in  the  State. 

The  town  voted  in  1891  to  purchase  text  books 
for  the  use  of  scholars,  which  added  largely  to  the 
grand  results  achieved  by  the  teachers  and  super- 
visors. 

At  the  present  writing,  II.  F.  Kallock  has  charge 
of  the  high  school,  with  Misses  M.  E.  Merrill  and 
Flora  Rackliff  as  assistants;  and  under  his  able 
management  the  school  is  still  held  up  to  the  stan- 
dard of  excellence  that  it  has  maintained  for  the 
past  years,  and  the  teachers  fully  sustain  the  envi- 
able record  of  their  predecessors,  under  the  care 
of  II.  W.  Trafton,  the  present  supervisor. 

To  sum  up:  from  a  feeble  beginning,  with  few 
scholars,    scant    means    and    more    ignorance,   the 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  239 

schools  of  the  town  have  risen  from  the  log*  cabin 
to  the  pretentious  cditice  which  adorns  the  page  of 
this  book. 

All  praise  to  those  who  were  zealous  in  the  work 
and  instrumental  in  bringing  about  the  grand  and 
lasting  results  recorded  in  this  history  of  the 
schools  of  Fort  Fairfield. 


240  HISTORY  OF  FORT   FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER   XXXII. 

CHURCHES. 
FORT   FAIRFIELD  CONGREGATIONAL    CHURCH* 

Owing  to  the  paucity  of  the  records,  it  is  not 
possible  to  give  a  lull  and  connected  history  of  this 
church. 

Covering  as  it  does  a  period  of  half  a  century, 
and  thus  reaching  far  back  to  the  very  beginnings  of 
organized  Christian  work  in  Northern  Aroostook, 
its  founders  and  promoters  struggling  amidst  the 
adverse  circumstances  which  are  the  certain  con- 
comitants of  pioneer  life,  did  not  fully  estimate  the 
value  to  succeeding  generations  of  a  full  and  con- 
nected record.  The  following,  while  bv  no  means 
a  full,  is  believed  to  be  a  correct  history,  though 
certain  dates  are  rather  indefinite. 

This  church  was  organized  in  what  was  then 
Letter  D,  now  Fort  Fairfield,  in  the  log  house  of 
Edward  S.  Fowler,  on  the  8th  day  of  October, 
1844. 

The  original  members  were  five,  viz :  Edward  S. 
Fowler,  Mary  Fowler,  Hiram  Stevens,  Caleb  II. 
Ellis  and  Susan  Ellis. 


DEA.    HIRAM    STEVENS. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  243 

It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that  after  the  lapse 
of  half  a  century,  two  of  these  five  original  mem- 
bers,— Deacon  Hiram  Stevens  of  this  town  and 
Caleb  II.  Ellis,  the  author  of  this  book, — are  still 
living,  although  the  latter,  man}' years  ago,  severed 
his  connection  with  this  church,  and  united  with 
the  Methodists. 

The  organizing  council  was  composed  of  Rev. 
Win.  T.  Savage  and  Mr.  Nathanael  G.  Treat  of 
Iloulton,  Rev.  Francis  P.  Smith  of  Monticello  and 
Rev.  Josiah  G.  Merrill,  missionary  on  the  fiek4,  also 
Rev.  John  Eaton,  agent  of  the  American  Tract  So- 
ciety. Rev.  J.  G.  Merrill  was  chosen  moderator, 
and  Rev.  Wm.  T.  Savage  scribe  of  the  council. 
The  following  is  the  order  of  services  as  trans- 
cribed from  the  records: 

"Reading  of  hymn,  prayer  and  reading  of  Scrip- 
tures by  Rev.  F.  P.  Smith;  calling  the  names,  and 
baptism  of  Susan  Ellis,  reading  of  the  Articles  of 
Faith  and  Covenant,  and  receiving  the  assent  of 
the  proposed  members,  by  Rev.  Wm.  T.  Savage; 
prayer  consecrating  the  church  and  setting  apart 
Edward  S.  Fowler  to  the  office  of  deacon,  accord- 
ing to  previous  election,  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Merrill;  fel- 
lowship of  the  church  by  Rev.  John  Eaton;  com- 
munion service  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Savage  and  Mer- 
rill; benediction  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Merrill. " 

It  is  exceedingly  interesting  to  read  the  doings 
of  that  little  company  of  disciples,  as  there,  in  the 


244  HISTORY   OF   FORT   FAIRFIELD. 

kitchen  of  that  rude  domicle,  in  the  midst  of  the 
"forest  primeval,"  they  reverently  and  solemnly 
laid  the  foundation  of  this  church  and  consecrated 
it  to  Almighty  God.  I  cannot  forbear  inserting 
here  the  following  extract  from  the  sermon  of  Rev. 
Stacy  Fowler,  preached  at  the  dedication  of  the 
first  house  of  worship  at  Fort  Fairfield  village  in 
1874.  Rev.  Stacy  Fowler  was  the  son  of  Deacon 
Edward  S.  Fowler,  in  whose  house  thirty  years 
before  the  church  had  been  organized,  and  was  at 
the  time  a  young  lad. 

After  referring  to  the  "change  and  progress  of 
thirty  years,"  as  also  to  the  fact  that  "other  hands 
hold  the  plough  and  other  brains  throb  with  the 
living  issues  of  the  times,'' — the  preacher  said: 

"But  there  are  other  and  more  cherished  mem- 
ories. The  organization  of  this  church  in  the  cab- 
in of  my  early  home  at  Maple  Grove,  thirty  years 
ago  the  8th  of  next  October,  is  one  of  the  sweetest 
and  most  inspiring  memories  of  my  life. 

"As  if  in  benediction,  the  magnificant  birch- 
es and  maples  of  that  primitive  forest  stretched 
their  autumn  crowned  arms  over  the  cabin  and 
over  the  council.  As  if  acting  the  part  of  a  church 
spire,  an  evergreen  spruce  lifted  its  emerald  tip  a 
hundred  and  twenty  feet  into  the  sky. 

"In  the  night  the  council  beheld  the  stars  shin- 
ing through  the  roof  of  the  rude  domicle.  >  y 
we  not  believe  that  those  stars  symbolized  the  e\es 


HISTORY   OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD.  245 

of  God  who  looked  clown  approvingly  upon  their 
doings?  Ay,  were  they  not  prophetic,  too,  of  that 
benign  Providence  whr  nas  been  the  guiding  star — 
the  pillar  of  cloud  and  of  fire — to  this  handful  of 
disciples  in  all  their  years  of  feebleness  and  toil? 
Only  five  believers  gathered  through  the  assiduity 
of  Father  Merrill,  whom  Dr.  Gillett,  then  secreta- 
ry of  the  Maine  Missionary  Society,  sent  hither  to 
find  any  scattered  sheep  of  our  Israel  in  this  wil- 
derness— only  five,  three  males  and  two  females, 
then  were  the  germinated  life  of  this  church.  Fa- 
ther Merrill  has  just  gone  in  a  ripe  old  age  to  his 
reward.  But  the  church  which  he  was  instrumen- 
tal in  planting  still  lives,  and  will  continue  to  live 
to  bless  the  community. 

"Verily  God  has  blessed  you.  His  banner  over 
you  has  been,  and  is,  love.  He  who  began  to  plant 
you  has  made  you  full  of  growing-." 

It  is  impossible  for  us  to  realize  the  difficulties 
and  hardships  which  those  early  missionaries  had 
to  encounter,  as  following  the  courses  of  the 
streams  or  the  "spotted  lines"  through  the  unbrok- 
en forests,  they  went  from  place  to  place  in  their 
eagerness  to  break  the  "bread  of  life"  to  the  fam- 
ishing people.  Truly  they  "rest  from  their  labors, 
and  their  works  do  follow  them.'' 

Founded  in  weakness,  holding  their  meetings 
from  house  to  house,  without  regular  or  stated 
preaching,  depending  upon  an  occasional  visit  fr:>$i 


246  HISTORY    OF    FOET    FAIRFIELD. 

Father  Merrill  or  some  other  missionary  laboring  in 
this  wild,  uncultivated  field, — it  is  little  wonder  that 
their  growth  should  have  been  slow,  and  that  at 
the  close  of  the  first  quarter  of  a  century  of  its  ex- 
istence the  little  church  numbered  scarcely  a  score 
of  members. 

But  brighter  davs  and  better  things  were  in  store 
for  them.  With  the  clearing  away  of  the  forest 
and  the  settlement  of  the  neighborhood,  came  other 
Christians,  both  of  their  own  and  other  denomina- 
tions, among  whom  there  seems  to  have  been  the 
most  friendly  spirit. 

After  worshipping  in  schoolhouses  for  some 
years,  feeling  that  other  and  better  accommodations 
were  needed,  and  that  the  time  had  come  for 
building  a  "meeting  house,'*  in  about  1856,  in  con- 
nection with  the  Methodists,  the  Free  Baptists  and 
the  Baptists,  the  first  house  of  worship,  known  as 
the  "Union  House,''  was  built. 

Here  the}'  continued  to  worship,  occupying  the 
house  their  proportional  part  of  the  time,  for  a 
period  of  ten  or  twelve  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  the  place  of  worship  was  transferred  to  the 
village. 

In  the  year  1852,  the  Maine  Missionary  Society 
sent  Rev.  E.  Knight,  who  continued  to  be  their 
"acting  pastor'  for  about  fifteen  years,  after  which 
the  church  was  supplied  with  preaching  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Austin,  acting  pastor  of  the  church  at  Presque 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  247 

Isle,  and  others,  until  the  coming  of  Rev.  W.  T. 
Sleeper,  in  1872,  who  remained  about  three  years. 

It  was  during  his  pastorate  that  the  first  house 
of  worship  at  the  village  was  built,  having  been 
dedicated  on  the  24th  day  of  May,  1874. 

This  building  was  erected  at  the  cost  of  about 
$3000,  including  the  lot.and  furniture.  The  dedi- 
cation sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Stacy  Fowler, 
(reference  to  which  has  already  been  made)  and 
the. dedicatory  prayer  was  made  by  the  pastor,  Rev. 
W.  T.  Sleeper.  At  this  time  the  number  of  com- 
municants had  increased  to  about  fort}*. 

The  next  acting  pastor  was  Rev.  Mr.  Wheel- 
wright, who  remained  about  two  years,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  Ebenezer  Bean,  who  was  acting 
pastor  from  January,  1876  to  January,  1877.  He 
was  followed  by  Rev.  Charles  Sinnett,  who  re^ 
mained  for  about  three  years,  and  in  turn  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  E.  P.  Eastman  in  1882.  In  1886, 
Rev.  D.  Osgood  became  acting  pastor,  remaining 
until  September,  1888.  In  November,  1888,  the 
church  engaged  Mr.  G.  B.  Hescock  of  Monson, 
Maine,  to  supply  their  pulpit  for  an  indefinite  time, 
with  the  view  of  his  becoming  their  pastor,  should 
the  relations  thus  formed  prove  to  be  mutually 
satisfactory.  Such  being  the  case,  he  was  ordained 
to  the  gospel  ministry,  and  installed  pastor  of  the 
church  on  the  28th  day  of  March,  1889,  and  is  the 
present  pastor. 


248  HISTORY    OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD. 

The  membership  had  then  increased  to  a  little 
more  than  fifty.  The  whole  number  of  names  en- 
rolled since  the  organization  of  the  church  is  one 
hundred  and  sixty-eight,  and  the  present  member- 
ship is  one  hundred  and  twelve. 

In  1 891,  the  church  becoming  aware  that  they 
must  either  enlarge  their  house  of  worship  or  build 
a  new  one,  for  many  good  reasons  decided  to  do 
the  latter.  Accordingly,  the  old  building  and  lot 
was  sold,  a  new  site  chosen,  and  the  present  house 
of  worship  erected  and  dedicated  on  the  6th  da}'  of 
October,  1892. 

The  dedication  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  C. 
G.  McCully  of  Calais,  Maine,  and  the  dedicatory 
prayer  was  made  b}T  the  pastor. 

The  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about 
$7,000. 

The  lot,  furnaces,  electric  lighting,  organ,  pulpit 
suite,  carpets,  pew  cushions,  vestry  settees,  etc.? 
cost  about  $2,000  making  the  entire  cost  not  far 
trom  $9,000.  The  building  is  modern  in  its  ap- 
pointments, very  convenient  in  use,  and  is  regard- 
ed by  all  as  among  the  neatest  and  tastiest  of  coun- 
try churches. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  249 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

CHURCHES. 
THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

The  soldiers  had  barely  taken  possession  of  the 
disputed  territory,  before  the  itinerant  minister  was 
upon  the  ground.  The  Rev.  John  G.  Pingree  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  came  by  the  way 
of  the  upper  Aroostook  road,  in  the  summer  of 
1839,  and  his  mission  or  circuit,  extended  from 
Misardis  to  the  boundary  line.  Upon  his  arrival 
at  the  Fort  he  was  kindly  received  by  the  officers, 
and  liberally  paid.  A  home  was  provided  for  him 
at  Mr.  Nathan  Johnston's.  Mrs.  Johnston  was  a 
devout  Methodist,  holding  her  membership  in 
Frederickton,  N.  B.  He  continued  to  visit  the 
Fort  and  preach  to  the  people  through  the  year. 

The  following  letter  received  by  Dr.  Barker, 
the  present  pastor  of  the  church,  will  give  an  idea 
of  the  lifelong  interest  of  a  faithful  "circuit  preach- 
er" in  the  field  he  has  occupied;,  containing  as  it 
does,  incidents  of  interest  from  life  in  those  early 
days : 


250  HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 

''Dundee,  III,  July  24,  1893. 
"Dear  Brother: — 

It  is  true  that  I  am  not  acquainted  with  you  per- 
sonally, b:it  I  almost  claim  acquaintance  from  the 
fact  that  I  am  a  Methodist  preacher,  though  a  su- 
perannuate of  the  Wisconsin  conference,  and  that 
you  now  occupy  the  same  field  that  ]  broke  up  in 
1839-40.  For  some  incidents  and  illustrations  of 
my  work  sea  "Maine  Methodism,  "(East Maine)  pp. 
68-99.  I  w^l  say  some  things  additional,  and  hope 
to  receive  a  letter  from  you  giving  a  description 
of  how  things  are  now.  I  suppose  that  I  am  the 
only  living  minister  that  occupied  that  mission 
ground  in  those  early  times. 

"I  presume  that  few  are  now  living  at  the  Fort 
who  knew  me  over  fifty  years  ago.  Should 
there  be  any,  I  would  be  glad  to  have  a  letter  from 
them. 

uIn  August,  1839, I  m^de  niy  way  by  water  from 
No.  10  (Masardis)  to  the  Fort,  called  on  the  cap- 
tain, introduced  myself  as  a  Methodist  mis- 
sionary, and  was  kindly  received  and  invited  to 
preach  in  the  Fort  the  following  Sabbath;  and 
knowing  the  condition  of  the  settlement,  he  wisely 
selected  me  a  boarding  place  during  my  short  stay 
in  the  place.  I  preached  to  the  soldiers,  and  at  the 
.;lose  of  the  meeting,  the  captain  invited  me  to  stop 
and  preach  another  Sabbath,  which  I  did,  and  early 
Monday   morning  the  quartermarster  came  to  my 


HON.    HENRY    O.  PERRY. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  253 


lodgings  and  presented  me  with  $10  as  a  present 
from  the  officers  and  soldiers. 

I  was  very  glad  of  this  board  arrangement,  as 
there  were  few  families  where  it  would  be  con- 
venient for  me  to  lodge,  and  then  it  gave  me  a 
good  opportunity  to  visit  all  the  families  in  the 
place,  and  to  ascertain  the  true  condition  of  the 
people.  I  stayed  at  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nathan  John- 
ston's, residing  about  half  a  mile  down  the  river 
from  the  Fort.  My  hostess  was  a  highly  cultured 
lady  of  Scotch  descent,  a  good  Methodist,  holding 
her  membership  in  Frederickton,  N.  B.  I  think 
they  had  no  children,  if  so  the  family  has  probab- 
ly become  extinct,  but  if  any  of  the  family  are  Hy- 
ing and  remember  me,  hope  they  will  write  me. 

"I  felt  that  under  the  circumstances  I  could  not 
do  much  for  the  place,  though  I  preached  there 
occasionally  and  did  what  I  could.  Aside  from 
the  soldiers  there  were  no  Americans  in  the  place, 
but  all  from  the  Province,  the  most  of  whom  I 
could  not  reach. 

"Now  I  would  like  to  know  what  became  of 
these  old  settlers?  Did  they  become  American- 
ized, or  did  they  move  away?  Is  the  chief  settle- 
ment around  the  old  fort?  Where  is  our  church 
and  parsonage  located?  I  can  hardly  think  of  the 
place  only  as  I  saw  it  more  than  fifty  years  ago. 
O,  how  glad  I  would  be  to  visit  the  old  Aroostook 
mission  ground  before  I  die,  and  see  with  mv  own 


254  HISTORY    OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD. 

eves  what  God  has  wrought!  But  this  can  never 
be,  for  I  am  more  than  eighty  years  old,  partially 
blind,  very  feeble,  and  patiently  waiting  for  the 
Master,  but  all  is  well. 

"May  I  not  expect  a  letter  from  yqu  in  answer 
to  this?  Sometimes  I  almost  fancy  myself  work- 
ing with  might  and  main  laying  the  foundation  of 
Methodism  in  that  interesting  field.     Good  bye. 

Yours  truly, 

J.  G.'  PlXGREE." 

We  are  dependent  upon  such  information  as  Dr. 
Barker  has  been  able  to  obtain  from  the  oldest 
members  of  the  church,  as  the  church  records  are 
very  meagre,  and  of  little  use  in  making  up  history. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Hatch  put  in  an  appearance,  pos- 
sibly on  horseback,  probably  on  foot.  It  was  the 
custom  in  those  days  for  ministers  to  make  long 
journe}s,  visiting  from  house  to  house.  The  hos- 
pitality was  open  handed;  in  many  a  log  house 
there  was  a  prophet's  chamber — possibly  up  under 
the  roof  a  little  nearer  the  star  world  than  down 
below. 

Like  Lorenzo  Dow,  the}-  came  from  nowhere, 
left  word  around  that  there-  would  be  preaching, — at 
Mr.  Nathan  Johnston's  that  eve  lingj  it  was  noise  J 
about,  and  a  houseful  of  earnest  listeners  greeted 
the  preacher.  Rev.  Mr.  Hatch's  circuit  extended 
as  far  as  Ashland,  with  appointments  at  Caribou 
and  Salmon  Brook,  and  we  think  at  other  places. 


HISTORY    OF    FOftT    FAIRFIELD.  2fjJ 


Iii  1842  and  43,  Ephraim  II.  Whitney,  whose  fa- 
ther had  located  in  this  township,  made  his  home 
at  his  father's,  but  labored  principally  in  Presque 
Isle.  Rev.  Alphonso  Rogers  was  that  year  ap- 
pointed to  the  Aroostook  mission,  and  the  follow- 
ing year  moved  his  family  to  Letter  D,  and  he  be- 
came the  first  settled  minister,  and  received  a  grant 
of  a  lot  of  land  from  the  State,  by  reason  of  that 
fact.  Brother  Rogers  remained  upon  his  farm  for 
several  years,  and  though  appointments  were  made 
to  the  mission,  he  always  found  work,  and  was  in 
demand  for  weddings,  funerals,  and  to  supply  when 
the  appointed  minister  failed  to  put  in  an  appear- 
ance. 

In  1845,  Rev.  True  Page  Adams  was  appointed 
to  the  circuit.  He  was  a  devoted,  faithful  minis- 
ter, and  being  a  young  man  was  able  to  exert  a 
strong  influence,  always  for  good,  over  the  young 
people,  while  he  was  greatly  beloved  by  the  older 
members  of  the  church.  He  did  a  good  work  for 
the  church  and  society,  and  his  name  was  long 
held  in  remembrance. 

Brother  Adams  was  followed  by  Rev.  Benjamin 
Lufkin,  who  was  noted  for  his  devout  piety,  devo- 
tion to  itinerant  work,  and  for  his  oddities  and  ex- 
treme awkwardness.  Stopping  over  night  with  an 
influential  Methodist  family,  in  the  morning  the 
good  man  of  the  house  showed  Bro.  Lufkin  his 
stock,  and  then   made  his  way  to  the  log  house 


2j6  HISTORY    OP    FOITT    FAIRFIELD. 

where  he  had  some  very  fine  porkers.  After  tak- 
ing a  look  at  them,  he  turned  to  his  host  and  said: 
"BrO.  L — ,  do  you  think  you  are  grow- 
ing in  grace  as  fast  as  that  hog  is  in  size?"  With 
a  long  drawn  sigh,  Bro.  L — replied,  "I  fear  I  am 
not/'  to  which  Bro.  Lufkin  replied,  "Bro.  L — .  I 
should  be  ashamed  to  be  outdone  by  a  hogP 

It  was  with  such  home  thrusts  that  the  good  man 
moved  aivrong  the  people,  with  words  of  truth 
arousing  the  indifferent,  stirring  up  the  lukewarm, 
and  bringing  joy  and  gladness  to  the  believing 
heart. 

His  personal  appearance  was  decidedly  against 
hitn.  He  was  six  feet  four  inches  in  his  stockings; 
his  speech  was  very  abrupt,  and  first  impressions 
were  always  against  him,  but  he  made  earnest  and 
devoted  friends  of  old  and  young.  He  was  the 
greatest  revivalist  that  visited  the  Aroostook  in 
those  days.  He  spent  two  useful  years  upon  the 
Aroostook  mission. 

After  leaving  the  Aroostook,  he  went  to  the 
western  part  of  the  State,  where  he  married  a  wife, 
much  like  himself  in  personal  appearance  and  de- 
votion to  the  Master's  work.  He'  was  a  faithful 
and  respected  member  of  the  Maine  conference  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  finished  his 
work,  and  was  called  up  higher  several  years  ago. 

Kcndrick  A.  Meservy  spent  one  or  two  years 
upon  the  circuit.      He  came  in  the  first  years  of  his 


HISTORY   OF   FORT   FAIRFIELD.  2£7 

ministry,  and  had  but  little  experience,  but  he 
proved  a  faithful,  devoted  pastor,  and  did  good 
work  for  the  Master. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  he  offered  his 
services  as  chaplain  of  the  ioth  Maine  Regiment, 
and  was  elected.  lie  proved  a  faithful,  devoted 
chaplain,  and  by  precept  and  example  did  all  he 
could  to  lead  the  soldiers  to  prepare  for  their  duty 
to  their  country  and  their  God.'  When  death  came 
it  found  him  with  his  comrades  at  the  Soldiers' 
Home,  near  Augusta,  Maine. 

Rev.  Bro.  Stanchtield  and  Rev.  Bro.  Hartford 
faithfully  served  the  charge.  Of  those  times  the 
present  pastor.  Rev.  Dr.  Barker,  says:  "When  the 
presiding  elder,  who  lived  at  Bangor,  wished  for 
plenty  of  air  and  hilarious  exercise,  he  started  for 
Aroostook.  lie  came  up  in  good  stvle,  and  for 
three  days  and  nights  he  poured  forth  red  hot  ser- 
mons, the  people  coming  from  all  parts  of  the  cir- 
cuit, and  in  all  sorts  of  conveyances,  and  made  a 
big  time  among  the  Methodists  upon  these  quarter- 
ly meeting  occasions.  We  dare  to  ask,  why,  O 
why,  do  they  not  do  so  now  ? 

"Now,  he  comes  when  the  steeple  bell  rings  out 
its  last  chime,  occupies  the  pastor's  spare  bed  one 
night,  drinks  up  his  breakfast  coffee  the  next 
morning,  and  is  gone, — alas,  alas!" 

In  1853  and  '54,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Cookson  was 
appointed  to  the  charge,  and   did  faithful  and   sue- 


258  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

cessful  work.  He  was  an  earnest  and  suceessful 
minister,  and  was  the  first  minister  to  occupy  the 
new  parsonage,  which  was  built  largely  through 
the  Ilovt  influence,  which  was  very  strong  in  the 
church  at  that  day.  It  was  built  on  what  was  then 
known  as  the  Whitney  farm,  now  owned  by  Mr. 
Stephen  Averill,  near  the  home  of  Mr.  Levi  Hoyt. 

The  mission  was  successfully  and  faithfully 
served  by  Bros.  Sonic,  Hartford,  Iluckins,  and  in 
the  absence  of  a  regular  Methodist  supply,  Rev. 
Bro.  Pitcher,  a  Christian  minister,  preached  to  them 
with  great  acceptability.  Bros.  Win,  P.  Ray,  Tree- 
win  and    Whitney  were  appointed  to  the  caarge. 

In  t83o,  the  presiding  elder  in  his  report  to  con- 
ference, said,  "at  Fort  Fairfield  a  church  enterprise 
has  been  inaugurated.  The  building  is  begun,  but 
not  far  advanced.  It  is  a  promising  field  and  at  an 
important  point,  and  we  earnestly  hope  the  chnrch 
will  be  built/'  The  next  year  in  his  report  he 
said,  "the  church  at  Fort  Fairfield  is  being  pushed 
toward  completion.  It  will  be  an  attractive  church 
when  done;  it  is  wisely  located  and  will  be  a  strong 
point  for  Methodism  in  the  Aroostook  valley." 

In  conclusion  we  give  the  following  historical 
reflections  from  the  present  pastor. 

"Well!  it  was  completed,  and  its  white  tower 
and  its  spire  is  a  landmark,  as  the  weary  traveler 
crowns  the  side  hills  and  descends  into  the  valley, 
or  glancing  from  the  car  window,  taking  advantage 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  259 

of  a  curve,  as  one  approaches  by  train.  Its  bell 
rings  out  good  cheer  for  all  who  come  to  its  ser- 
vices; like  even'  church,  deaths  and  removals 
have  done  their  work  of  decimation.  But  we  are 
satisfied  that  it'  she  is  true  to  her  past  antecedents, 
she  will  not  in  any  wise  compromise  with  sin.  If 
upon  the  bells  of  the  average  Aroostook  farmer's 
horses,  you  can  in  future  days  spell  out  the  old  pro- 
phetic utterance — 'Holiness  to  the  Lord,'  we  are 
sure  that  the.  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  will 
stand  firm — frowning  upon  all  shams,  and  making 
herself  felt  as  a  power  against  rum  and  narcotics; 
true  to  God,  and  opposing  all  time  serving  policy. 
She  will  be  an  opening  gateway  for  the  future 
generations  into  Gad's  beautiful    Heavenly  home/' 

Following  Bro.  Anderson  came  Bro.  Skinner, 
who  remained  on  the  charge  three  years.  Brother 
Price  followed.  He  it  was  that  conceived  the  idea 
of  having  the  present  parsonage  rooms  finished  be- 
neath the  audience  room  of  the  church,  so  that,  as 
our  present  genial  presiding  elder  says, — "The  pas- 
tor and  family  literally  'dwell  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord  forever.' " 

Honorable  mention  must  be  made  of  the  late 
pastors  who  labored  faithfully  in  this  field, — Bros. 
YYithee,  Luce  and  Bass,  and  in  closing  this  chap- 
ter of  our  history,  we  hail  with  kindly  greetings  all 
who  are  laboring  to  establish  truth  and  righteous- 
ness in  our  midst,  and  with  the  old  apostle  at  Apii 
Forum,  "thank  God  and  take  courage." 


26o  HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

CHURCHES CONTINUED. 

THE    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

In  the  year  1867  the  Reverend  Dr.  Henry  A. 
Neely,  of  New  York  city,  was  consecrated  bishop 
of  Maine  to  succeed  the  Right  Reverend  George 
Burgess,  who  had  died  during  the  year  previous. 
The  new  bishop  established  his  residence  at  Port- 
land, and  entered  at  once  zealously  upon  his  work. 
Upon  a  hasty  survey  of  his  diocese,  he  was  struck 
with  the  evidences  of  rapid  growth  and  future 
prosperity  of  Aroostook  county,  -  and  he  deter- 
mined to  make  an  effort  to  plant  the  church  there 
when  opportunity  should  present  itself.  Mr.  Wm. 
H.  Washburn,  a  retired  sea  captain, — having  been 
attached  to  the  church,  first  by  her  beautiful  lit- 
urgy— at  this  juncture,  applied  to  Bishop  Neely, 
and  announced  his  desire  to  enter  the  ministry  (  £ 
the  Episcopal  Church.  As  soon  as  Mr.  Wash- 
burn had  complied  with  the  canons  governing 
such  cases,  he  was  admitted  a  candidate  for  holy 
orders,  and  sent  to  Aroostook. 


HON.  W  E.  PARSONS. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  263 


Leaving  Bangor  he  drove  north,  and  visited  sev- 
eral Aroostook  towns,  and  returned,  reporting  the 
result  of  his  trip  to  his  diocesan.  A  second  trip 
was  made,  the  bishop  accompanying  him,  and  ser- 
vices  were  held  at  Ashland  and  some  other  points. 
At  one  of  these  serviees  the  bishop  made  the 
acquaintance  oi  Mr.  Isaae  Hacker,  by  whom  he 
was  urged  to  visit  Fort  Fairfield,  and  hold  service. 
It  was  agreed  that  on  his  way  back  he  would  stop 
at  the  Fort  as  desired.  In  the  meantime  Mr. 
Hacker  returned,  and  made  all  necessary  arrange- 
ments for  the  service,  and  the  bishop  upon  his 
arrival  paid  a  visit  to  the  singing  school,  which 
was  taught  by  Deacon  Small,  and  there  enlisted  a 
choir  for  the  occasion.  There  was  some  hesitation 
in  "finding  places, "  but  all  considered,  that  was  a 
verv  hearty  service.  Requests  were  made  at  all 
points  for  regular  ministrations,  but  the  resources 
of  the  bishop  were  so  limited  that  he  was  unable 
to  maintain  more  than  one  missionary  in  the  re- 
gion. Mr.  Washburn  was  therefore  stationed  here, 
and  churches  at  Presque  Isle,  Ashland  and  Fort 
Fairfield,  and  the  commodious  rectory  at  the  last 
named  place,  are  the  material  evidence  of  his  zeal. 

Mr.  Washburn  entered  upon  his  labors  at  once, 

and  missions  were  organized  at  Ashland  first,  then 

at    Fort    Fairfield.     The    date    of    the    latter    was 

April   2 1  st,  and  the  officers   first  appointed  were 

J.  B.  Trafton,  warden:  J.  F.  Hacker,  treasurer;  C. 


264  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

C.  Pattee,  parish  clerk.  Mr.  Washburn  labored 
assiduously,  ministering  to  the  needs  of  his  scattered 
people,  maintaining  services  at  remote  stations, 
travelling  hundreds  of  miles  in  search  of  funds  to 
press   forward    the    church    pr  .    and  at   the 

same  time  pursuing  his  theological  studies.  Mr. 
Washburn  labored  here  until  the  spring  of  1877; 
during  which  time  he  records  three  hundred  and 
t  w  e  n ty-four  b a p t  i  s  m  s ,  o  n  e'  h  u  n  d  r  e  d  a  n  d  t  w  e  n  ty- 1  w  o 
confirmations,  twenty-four  marriages  and  sixty-five 
burials.  The  aggregate  value  of  the  chureh  prop- 
erty which  he  left  be.iincl  him  was  $15,000.  Such 
a  record  speaks  volumes  for  his  zeal  and  faithful- 
ness. Mr.  Washburn  left  scores  of  friends,  but 
no  enemies.  Of  course  there  were  those  who  dis- 
agreed with  him  in  belief  and  methods,  and  they 
sometimes  took  pains  to  have  it  known.  Many  of 
our  readers  will  remember  the  cognomen  applied 
to  St.  Paul's  Church  during  its  process  of  erection. 
Its  variation  from  the  style  of  architecture  csral 
for  schoolhouse  and  meeting  houses,  earned  for  it 
the  title  of  "Washburn's  smokehouse."  But  these 
things  were  not  serious,  and  as  before  remarked, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Washburn  is  remembered  with  re- 
spect and  affection  bv  his  friends. 

The  years  of  his  ministry  were  the  sunniest  in  the 
history  of  St.  Paul's  mission.  Members  cf  various 
religious  bodies  who  had  heartily  co-operated  with 
the  people  of  St.  Paul's,  which  rnaintatned  the  only 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  265 


regular  services  in  the  village,  had  of  course  with- 
drawn when  movements  to  establish  their  own 
communions  were  made.  The  members  thus  re- 
duced became  disheartened  by  frequent  changes  in 
their  pastoral  oversight,  with  often  long  intervals 
during  which  the  church  was  closed,  and  no  ser- 
vices held. 

The  successors  of  Mr.  Washburn  have  been  as 
follows : 

Rev.  R.  M.  Edwards,  who  came  to  Fort  Fairfield 
in  March,  1877;  Rev.  Hudson  Sawyer  came  in 
1879;  Rev.  F.  II.  Rowse  came  in  the  summer  of 
1885;  Rev.  W.  A.  Swan  in  the  autumn  of  1889; 
Rev.  L.  M.  Wilkins  in  1890,  and  Rev.  Geo.  Bruce 
Nicholson,  1892. 

Occasional  services  have  been  held  during  in- 
tervals of  vacancy  by  other  clergvmen  and  lay 
readers,  but  those  named  above  are  the  only  ones 
whose  ministrations  are  recorded  on  the  parish 
register.  One  after  another  they  have  succeeded 
to  the  office  left  vacant  by  Mr.  Washburn's  remov- 
al, but  none  have  ever  yet  filled  his  place.  Next 
to  him,  Mr.  Sawyer  has  done  as  much  ior  the  wel- 
fare of  the  mission  as  any  missionary  who  has  had 
charge.  He  was  not  only  a  devoted  parish  priest, 
but  he  was  respected  as  a  citizen,  and  entrusted 
with  town  business  of  importance.  As  supervisor 
of  schools,  he  is  said  to  have  done  more  to  increase 
the  efficiencv  of  the  schools  of  Fort  Fairfield  than 


266  HISTORY    OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD. 

any  man  who  had  ever  held  that  post  before 
him.  During  his  incumbency  here  he  built  church- 
es at  Limestone  and  Van  Buren,  and  began  one  at 
Caribou.  Goinc:  from  here  to  Iloulton,  he  erected 
a  beautiful  church  and  rectory.  He  is  still  main- 
taining his  reputation  as  a  builder,  a  recent  report 
statins  that  six  new  churches  were  either  in  various 
stages  of  completion  or  else  just  consecrated,  and 
all  due  to  his  energy. 

The  Episcopal  Church  in  Fort  Fairfield,  as  else- 
where in  Maine,  holds  its  own  with  difficulty.  The 
deep  inherited  prejudice  which  has  long  since  died 
out  in  other  sections  of  the  country,  is  as  strong  in 
Maine  to-day  as  ever.  In  the  face  of  that  preju- 
dice, with  irregularity  in  services  owing  to  the 
need  that  ministers  should  have  the  care  of  from 
two  to  six  stations,  growth  is  not  to  be  expected. 
A  faithful  attempt  to  provide  the  services  and  sa- 
craments to  those  who  are  entitled  to  them,  is  the 
most  that  may  be  accomplished.  This  Bishop 
Neely  has  faithfully  tried  to  do  for  upwards  of 
twenty-five  years,  at  a  great  personal  effort  and 
expense.  The  present  officers  of  St.  Paul's  Church 
are, — Rev.  George  Bruce  Nicholson,  missionary 
priest;  Mr.  II.  W.  Trafton,  warden;  Mrs.  J.  C. 
Rackliff,  treasurer;  Mr.  C.  L.  Richards,  parish 
clerk. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD.  267 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

CHURCHES CONTINUED. 

THE    FREE    BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

Among  the  early  settlers  who  made  their  homes 
in  this  township,  there  were  quite  a  number  who 
were  members  of  the  Free  Baptist  Church,  but  it 
was  not  until  some  time  in  the  fifties  that  they 
were  organized  into  a  church.  From  the  first,  this 
church  has  been  earnest  in  its  devotion  to  the 
Master,  and  has  had  within  its  fold  a  faithful  and 
pious  membership.  The  faithful  and  devoted  pas- 
tors, who  have  ministered  to  the  spiritual  wants  of 
the  people,  so  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  learn 
their  names,  are  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Purington,  Carr, 
Park,  Kinney,  Parsons,  Winslow,  and  the  present 
pastor,  Rev.  George  E.  Kneeland.  About  1875, 
Mr.  Frederick  Ellis,  who  was  a  member  oi  this 
communion,  was  chosen  deacon,  and  faithfully 
served  the  church,  until  his  death  in  1890.  Mr. 
LaForest  Towle,  who  has  been  church  clerk  al- 
most from  the  first,  was  chosen  deacon  soon  after 
Deacon  Ellis'  death,  and  at  the   present  time  fills 


268  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

both  of  these  important  offices  in  the  church. 

This  church  has  constantly  made  its  power  felt 
in  the  community;  it  has  attracted  true  believers 
to  its  membership,  and  the  young  and  thoughtless 
to  its  meetings.  Death  and  removals  have  been  at 
work  to  reduce  its  membership,  but  by  profession 
of  faith  and  by  letter,  others  have  come  to  till  their 
places,  and  the  work  of  the  Master  has  been  ad- 
vanced by  their  devotion  and  faithful  living.  Its 
position  in  regard  to  all  moral  and  social  questions 
will  bear  the  Scriptural  test. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  269 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

CHU  R  C 1 1 E  S — CO N T I N  U  E  D . 
THE    REGULAR    BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

In  i860,  the  Regular  Baptists,  who  had  come  to 
number  about  twenty-five,  decided  to  organize 
a  -;hurch  in  Fort  Fairfield,  The  church  was  or- 
ganized at  the  Union  meeting  hor.se,  and  Dea. 
Daniel  Foster  and  Mr.  Jonathan  Ilopkinson  were 
chosen  deacons,  and  Wm.  F.  Ilopkinson  was  elec- 
ted clerk.  The  Rev.  George  Rigbv  was  then  first 
pastor  of  the  church.  In  the  fall  of  1863,  Mr. 
W.  F.  Ilopkinson  died,  and  Mr.  W.  II.  Estabrook 
was  chosen  clerk.  The  second  pastor  was  a  young 
man  whose  name  we  are  unable  to  learn.  Then 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Cop  eland  served  the  church  very 
acceptably.  Then  came  the  Rev.  Mr.  Neugcnt. 
The  last  settled  pastor  was  the  Rev.  J.  E.  Bills. 

Soon  alter  the  death  of  Dea.  Foster,  in  1880,  by 
reason  of  death  and  removals,  and  the  fact  that 
other  religious  societies  were  supplying  the  peo- 
ple with  the  preached  word,  it  was  decided  that 
fcr  a  time,  at  least,  it  was  advisable  not  to  employ 


2  70  HISTORY  OF  FOfcT  FAIRFIELD. 

an  ether  paster,  nor  to  keep  up  separate  religious 
meetings.  And  up  to  the  present  time,  although 
there  are  several  in  the  town  of  that  faith,  there  has 
been  no  effV  rt  to  keep  up  the  organization,  and 
since  the  death  of  Deacons  Foster  and  Hopkinson, 
no  deacons  have  been  chosen. 


0 


vm- 


HENRY    A.    HAINES. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  273 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

CHURCHES CONTINUED. 

THE    SOCIETY    OF     FRIENDS. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  Fort  Fairfield,  the 
Society  of  Friends  were  represented.  Man'  and 
Joseph  Wingate  Haines,  and  their  eldest  daughter 
were  members  of  that  society.  Although  far  re- 
moved from  other  members,  they  were  not  for- 
gotten, and  from  time  to  time  were  visited,  and 
meetings  were  held  in  their  neighborhood.  In 
1858  or  '59  a  movement  was  started  that  resulted 
in  bringing  several  families  of  that  faith  into  the 
town.  William  A.  Sampson  bought  the  mills  con- 
sisting of  a  saw  mill,  where  the  Bryant  mill 
now  stands,  and  a  shingle  mill  on  a  dam  a  short 
distance  below.  The  shingle  mill  was  immediate- 
ly transformed  into  a  gristmill,  a  carding  machine 
put  in  and  steam  power  introduced. 

With  him,  or  soon  to  follow,  were  Thomas 
Partridge  and  wife,  Cyrus  Estes  and  wife,  Valen- 
tine Estes  and  wife,  Jonathan  Estes  and  wife, 
Joseph  Nichols  and   wife,  William   Perm  Varney 


274  HISTORY    OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD. 

and  wife,  and  William  F.  Sampson  and  wife,  and 
with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haines,  made  a  strong  and  in- 
fluential society.  For  the  first  year  meetings  were 
regularly  held  at  the  house  of  William  A.  Samp- 
son, and  then  for  another  year  at  Valentine  Estes, 
in  the  neighborhood  where  Rev.  William  Penn 
Varney  now  lives.  About  that  time  the  meeting 
house  was  built  in  the  Maple  Grove  settlement, 
where  they  have  uninterruptedly  worshiped  until 
the  present  time.  The  society  was  fortunate  in 
having  among  their  number  Mrs.  Sarah  Partridge 
(the  wife  of  Thomas  Partridge)  who  was  a  most 
devout,  earnest  and  eloquent  preacher. 

The  silent  worship  which  at  an  early  day  held  a 
prominent  place  in  their  meetings,  was  made  inter- 
esting, and  brought  the  y  011112:  within  their  influ- 
cnce,  by  the  devout  prayer  and  earnest  exhorta- 
tions of  this  truly  good  woman.  The  years  in 
which  the  country  had  been  suffering  from  the 
turmoil  of  war  and  other  communities  and  socie- 
ties had  been  experiencing  its  evil  effects,  were 
years  of  almost  unbroken  prosperity  to  this  people. 
While  William  A.  Sampson  had  been  active  in 
worldly  affairs  he  did  not  lose  his  interest  in  the 
upbuilding  of  the  society.  He  was  active  and  in- 
fluential in  the  building  of  the  meetinghouse.  Pie 
was  an  easy  and  fluent  speaker,  and  with  his  esti- 
mable wife,  loved  and  respected  by  the  community. 
With  the  close  of  the  war  a  new  field  of  labor  was 


HISTORY   OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD.  275 

opened  up  and  the  call  was  so  urgent  that  he  was 
not  long  in  becoming  interested  and  at  work  to  im- 
prove the  condition  of  the  Freedmen;  this  took  him 
first  to  Washington,  D.  C,  and  then  to  North 
Carolina,  subsequently  he  removed  to  the  West, 
then  to  California,  where  he  died  some  two  years 
ago.  In  Sarah  Partridge,  the  society  Jiad  an  in- 
fluential and  successful  worker.  In  the  death  ot 
her  husband,  with  the  responsibility  and  care  of 
a  family  on  her  hands  she  continued  her  labors.  A 
second  marriage  and  removal  to  Kennebec,  for  a 
time  severed  her  relations  with  the  society.  But 
death  came  again  to  her  home,  and  a  second  hus- 
band was  removed;  then  she  returned  and  spent 
the  remainder  of  her  clays  with  her  children  in  this 
town.  Other  changes  came  to  the  society  by 
death  and  removals.  Rev.  Wm.  Penn  Varney  be- 
came the  head  of  the  society,  and  the  recognized 
preacher.  Additions  have  been  made  from  time 
to  time,  and  at  the  present  time,  it  is  a  moral  and 
social  power  in  the  community,  exerting  alike  a 
happy  influence  upon  young  and  old. 

At  present  there  are  some  thirty-five  members. 
The  congregation  of  worshipers  at  the  Maple 
Grove  Church  who  have  been  in  sympathy  with  the 
purity  and  devotion  of  their  worship,  and  have  de- 
pended very  largely  upon  them  for  religious  in- 
struction and  influence,  have  largely  out  numbered 
the    members    of   the    society.      Of    the     origin- 


276  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

al  members.  Rev.  William  Perm  Varney  and 
wife,  Joseph  Nichols  and  wife,  Jonathan  Estes 
and  wife,  and  Lovina  Estes  are  yet  identified  with 
the  society.  The  moral  influence  of  this  society 
has  been  a  power  in  the  Maple  Grove  settlement. 
In  every  gathering  of  the  people,  and  in  all  their 
social  relations  it  has  been  at  work  for  good. 
Respect  for  its  members  has  exerted  a  powerful 
influence  upon  the  young  people  of  that  part  of 
our  town;  to  what  extent  it  has  acted  upon  their 
lives  will  not  be  known  until  the  final  judgment. 
As  the  acknowledged  leader,  the  quiet,  unob- 
trusive exemplary  life  of  William  Penn  Yarnev 
has  commanded  respect,  inspired  confidence,  and 
been  a  moral  force  felt  by  all  who  have  been 
favored  with  his  acquaintance. 

The  coming  of  that  devoted  band  of  Friends  to 
Maple  Grove  in  i860  marked  an  important  era  in 
the  history  of  the  town,  though  not  largely  pos- 
sessed of  earthly  means,  they  were  in  comfortable 
circumstances;  they  were  industrious  and  reliable; 
thev  lived  the  religion  they  professed.  They 
added  considerable  to  the  material  wealth  of  the 
new  settlement,  and  their  lives  and  works  have  an 
important  place  in  the  history  of  Fort  Fairfield. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  277 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

churches — concluded, 
the  roman  catholic  church. 

Among  the  few  settlers  who  had  made  their 
homes  along  the  banks  of  the  Aroostook,  now 
within  the  limits  of  Fort  Fairfield,  prior  to  the 
Aroostook  war,  were  a  lew  Catholic  families,  who, 
as  did  nearly  all  the  settlers  of  those  days,  came 
from  the  province  of  New  Brunswick. 

The  coming  of  the  troops,  and  other  movements 
consequent  upon  the  occupation  of  the  territory 
by  the  State,  and  creation  of  employment  for  la- 
bor, attracted  several  French  families,  all  of  whom 
were  of  this  faith,  from  the  upper  St.  John  river; 
and  undoubtedly  there  were  some  of  the  United 
States  regulars,  who  were  quartered  here  in  the 
early  forties,  who  were  members  of  this  commun- 
ion. 

From  what  can  be  learned,  it  appears  that  in 
1842  a  subscription  was  started  to  build  a  church, 
which  resulted,  in  1843,  in  the  erection  of  a  small 
building  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Boulier,  about  one  mile 


278  HISTORY   OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD. 

above  the  present  village  of  Fort  Fairfield,  near 
the  river. 

The  building  was  boarded  and  shingled,  but  ad- 
vanced no  farther  for  several  years.  About  1850, 
possibly  a  little  later,  a  new  effort  was  made.  A 
suitable  lot  was  secured  about  live  miles  above 
the  village,  and  the  building  was  taken  down  and 

O       7  O  , 

removed  to  the  new  location,  where  it  was  put  up 
and  finished  into  a  neat  chapel,  where  services 
were  held  for  many  years. 

The  large  increase  of  population  outgrew  the 
modest  little  chapel,  and  about  1875,  work  was 
commenced  on  the  present  large  church  in  the  vil- 
lage, where  a  large  congregation  is  gathered  at  ev- 
ery service. 

We  have  no  means  of  giving  the  names  of  the 
priests  who  have  from  time  ministered  to  the  spir- 
itual wants  of  the  people. 

Although  many  of  these  people  have  been  in 
very  humble  circumstances,  and  could  do  but  little 
to  support  religious  services,  they  have  not  been 
neglected.  Clergymen  from  the  Madawaska  set- 
tlement, from  Houlton  and  from  New  Brunswick, 
have  visited  them,  and  administered  the  sacra- 
ments of  the  church  from  time  to  time,  and  of  late 
years  regular  services  have  been  maintained. 

The  Reverend  Father  DeMerchand,  who  re- 
sides at  Presque  Isle,  is  the  present  parish  priest 
and  is  very  acceptable  to  his  people.     The  present 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  279 

wealth,  standing  and  influence  of  the  church,  indi- 
cate that  erelong  the  society  will  enjoy  the  pres- 
ence of  a  priest  located  in  their  midst. 


280  HISTORY  OF  FOfiT  FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

BUSINESS    MEN. 

Through  all  its  history  Fort  Fairfield  has  been 
fortunate  in  the  elass  of  men  who  have  been  asso- 
ciated with  its  business  affairs.  At  the  present 
time  the  mercantile  and  mechanical  business  car- 
ried on,  is  very  extensive,  and  well  conducted. 
Mr.  A.  C  Cary  stands  among  the  oldest  merchants 
in  this  part  of  the  county.  lie  is  the  present  post- 
master and  senior  member  of  the  Fort  Fairfield 
Clothing  Company;  associated  with  him  is  Mr. 
Edgar  Thurlow,  and  his  son  Mr.  George  Can. 
one  of  the  popular  travelling  salesmen.  Mr.  J.  F. 
I  lacker  has  grown  up  in  the  mercantile  business, 
and  his  business  has  grown  with  him.  Mr.  I  lacker 
has  been  town  treasurer  for  several  years,  and  is 
now  president  of  the  Fort  Fairfield  National  Bank, 
and  in  addition  to  his  extensive  mercantile  busi- 
ness, owns  and  manages  Memorial  Hall.  Mr. 
Hacker  is  one  of  the  solid  men  of  Aroostook 
county. 

William  Small  &  Co.     The  senior  member  of 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  283 


this  firm  has  been  in  business  for  a  long  time.  lie 
is  now  quite  advanced  in  years.  Several  years  ago 
he  associated  with  himself,  under  the  present  firm 
name,  his  son-in-law,  Mr.  Charles  W.  Johnston. 
They  carry  a  large  stoek  of  general  merchandise, 
and  a  line  lot  of  furniture.  Their  business  is  ably 
and  successfully  managed. 

In  addition  to  the  Fort  Fairfield  Clothing  Co., 
Mr.  W.  W.  Slocomb  &  Co.,  and  J.  B.  ^  Wil- 
liams &  Co.  carry  tine  assortments  of  ready-made 
clothing  and  gentlemen's  furnishing  goods. 

Mr.  Geo.  E.  Bartlett  &  Co.,  and  French  Bros. 
carry  an  extorsive  stock  of  dry  goods,  and  in  con- 
nection with  their  stores,  Mrs.  M.  C.  Perry  &  Co., 
and  Miss  M.  A.  Roulston  &  Co.  are  engaged  in 
the  millinery  business.  These  two  lines  of  busi- 
ness whieh  have  such  intimate  relations,  are  in  the 
best  of  hands.  For  careful  and  tasty  selection 
of  goods,  for  lair  and  honorable  dealings  in  this, 
as  in  all  other  lines  of  trade,  Fort  Fairfield  takes 
no  back  seat. 

The  Hardware  business  is  in  the  hands  of  Messrs. 
L.  K.  Cary  &  Co.,  C.  D.  Cutts,  J.  S.  Hall  and  S.  F. 
Jewett.  L.  K.  Cary  &  Co.  carry  an  extensive  stock 
of  hardware,  doors,  s.ish,  blinds,  tinware  and  ag- 
ricultural implements,  and  has  quite  an  assortment 
of  other  goods.  Mr.  Cutts  has  a  fine  stock  of  gen- 
eral hardware,  such  as  is  found  in  a  well  stocked 
store.     Mr,  J.  S,   Hall   carries  a  general   stock  cf 


284  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

hardware,  doors,  windows,  blinds,  wagon  makers 
material,  and  iron  and  steel  for  the  local  black- 
smiths. Mr.  Jewett  is  a  practical  plumber  and  tin 
worker,  carrying  a  line  of  stoves,  pumps  and  tube- 
ing,  and  is  at  the  head  of  the  lire  department. 

The  grocery  trade  has  assumed  a  prominent  po- 
sition in  our  village.  Mr.  II.  N.  Goodhue  has  one 
of  the  finest  and  best  arranged  grocery  stores  north 
of  Bangor.  He  has  built  up  a  large  trade,  in  fact 
has  grown  up  with  his  trade.  lie  was  a  Fort  Fair- 
field boy,  and  is  now  one  of  her  successful  busi- 
ness men.  He  believes  in  printers  ink,  a  id  is  a 
liberal  patron  of  the  local  press,  as  are  nearly  all 
our  business  men. 

Messrs.  II.  Knight  and  Co.  cany  a  line  class  of 
groceries,  and  are  having  a  good  trade,  and  the 
confidence  of  the  community.  Mr.  Knight  has 
bad  a  long  experience,  first  as  manager  for  another 
man,  and  since  for  himself.  He  has  his  son  asso- 
ciated with  him. 

Thurlougli  Richards  &  Company  have  for  sev- 
eral years  been  engaged  in  this  line  of  trade,  and 
in  addition,  have  done  a  large  out-side  trade. 

Mr.  N.  II.  Martin,  in  connection  with  his  restau- 
rant, carries  a  line  line  of  light  groceries. 

Mr.  F.  O.  Wellington  and  Alexander  McDoug- 
ald  are  supplying  groceries  to  the  people  at  the 
lower  village. 

Hopkins  Brothers,  a  cut  of  whore  storo  appears 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  285 


in  this  history,  in  addition  to  the  extensive  meat 
market,  carries  a  general  line  of  groceries.  In  ad- 
dition to  their  village  trade  they  have  a  large  farm 
two  miles  from  town. 

Joseph  Pearce,  whose  cut  also  appears  in  this 
history,  in  addition  to  a  regular  meat  market,  has  a 
bakery,  and  carries  a  line  of  groceries. 

Mr.  A.  F.  Goodhue  has  the  finest  jewelry  store 
in  the  county,  and  carries  a  large  and  valuable 
stock.  He  is  another  of  Fort  Fairfield's  boys  who 
has  developed  into  a  first-class  business  man  and 
has  a  large  and  paying  trade. 

Jeffs  Brothers  are  also  in  the  jewelry  business, 
and  carry  a  very  fine  and  selected  stock  of  watches 
and  silverware. 

Mrs.  A.  C.  Paul  carries  a  good  line  of  books  and 
stationery? together  with  room  paper  and  millinery 
goods. 

Messrs.  Hovev  &  Partridge  carry  a  fine  line  of 
boots  and  shoes,  and  both  are  new  men,  who  have 
been  engaged  in  business  here  about  a  year,  with 
a  good  prospect  of  successful  trade. 

Messrs.  Cutts  &  Scates  have  done  an  extensive 
business  in  the  furniture,  carpets,  wall  paper  and 
undertakers  business. 

Messrs.  E.  E.  Scates  &  Co.  have  a  large  line  of 
goods,  such  as  arc  usually  found  in  a  first-class 
drus:  store,  and  arc  doinsr  an  extensive  business. 


HISTORY   OF   FOltT   FAIRFIELD, 


Palmer  &  Holmes  are  also  in  the  same  business, 
with  a  good  store  and  a  tine  stoek  of  goods. 

The  harness  trade  is  represented  by  four  estab- 
lishments, viz:  J.  H.  Watt,  S.  F.  Lord,  R.  E. 
Burton  and  G,  B.  Churchill.  All  of  these  ex- 
perienced workmen  turn  out  good  work,  and  a 
large  amount  of  it,  and  deserve  mention  for  their 
good  work  and  honorable  dealings. 

The  blacksmith  trade  is  well  represented  and 
well  patronized  in  Fort  Fairfield.  The  following 
seven  shops  are  always  found  with  the  fire  spark- 
ling from  the  forges,  and  the  sturdy,  hardy  smiths 
hard  at  work.  Messrs.  J.  Peterson,  Caleb  Bart- 
lett,  II.  J.  Palmer,  C.  Rollins,  C.  L.  Smith  and  B.  S. 
Smith,  with  J.  B.  Gray,  a  practical  machinist, 
can  turn  out  almost  anvthino-  that  iron  and  steel 
can  make,  and  are  giving  stead}'  employment  to  fif- 
teen men. 

W.  A.  Haines,  at  the  lower  village,  and  A.  A. 
Iljckenhull,  on  the  Lovely  brook,  combine  the 
tawing  of  lumber  and  grinding  of  grain  in  their 
mills.  The  Howe's  mill  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river,  the  extensive  Stevens'  Lumber  Co.,  Magill 
Brothers  carding  and  planeing  mill  and  J.  B.  Rob- 
bins'  heading  mill,  combines  all  the  village  mills, 
and  all  are  doing  a  good  business. 

J.  N.  Sukeforth  does  a  large  business  in  manu- 
facturing starch  and  potato  barrels,  and  F.  A. 
ilewett  and  J.  B.  Robbins  both  are  engaged  in  that 
business. 


HISTORY   OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD.  2$] 

The  market  for  custom  made  clothing  is  well 
supplied  with  the  very  best  of  goods  in  the  latest 
styles,  by  Messrs.  Thomas  Winter,  II.  B.  Kirk- 
patrick  and  Thomas  Gamble,  who  are  all  first-class 
merchant  tailors. 

The  ladies  interests  are  well  looked  after  by  Mrs. 
R.  E.  Ketchum,  Miss  Jessie  Bartlett,  Mrs.  Emily 
Guild,  Mrs.  Campbell,  Mrs.  Crummett,  Miss  Clara 
Roulston,  Miss  Annie  Callahan,  and  the  Misses. 
Mary  and  Belle  Graham. 

Mr.  B.  Gathercole  and  the  Aroostook  Valley 
Starch  Co.  make  a  good  market  for  all  the  small 
potatoes  within  reach. 

In  addition  to  N.  H.  Martin's  restaurant,  Samuel 
Cray,  Henry  Davis,  and  the  Clifton,  furnish  meals 
at  all  hours. 

The  Collins  House,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Collins  proprie- 
tor, the  Windsor  House,  E.  II.  Thompson  pro- 
prietor, and  theErvin  House,  Mr.  Ervin  proprietor, 
are  three  as  good  and  commodious  hotels  as  are  to 
be  found  in  the  Aroostook  valley. 

There  are  four  large  and  well  equipped  livery 
stables,  kept  by  F.  W.  Burns,  J.  B.  Williams,  E.  J. 
D orsev  and  William  Maines. 

Messrs.  Fred  Osborne,  A.  P.Welch,  George  A. 
Upton,  Geo.  Delano,  and  Elmer  Martenus,  furnish 
excellent  accommodations,  and  display  great  skill 
in  the  tonsorial  art. 

G.    W.    Richardson    does   good  work  at  custom 


288 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


made  boots  and  shoes,  and  finds  Fort  Fairfield  a 
good  town  for  this  business. 

II,  W.  Vaniey  has  steam  powjr  to  run  wood 
working  machinery. 

J.  G.  Rackliff,  F.  C.  Bolster,  II.  W.  Ebbett,  John 
H.  Price  have  shops  for  carpenter  and  carriage 
making  and  repairing. 

E.  E.  Holt  has  a  fine  steam  laundry,  and  is 
well  patronized  and  is  doing  a  prosperous  business. 

Messrs.  W.  T.  Sullivan,  j.  G.  Cheney,  J.  C. 
Rackliff,  H.  B.  Bearisto,  S.  D.  Beckwith,  W. 
Beckwith  and  J.  C.  Beckwith,  represent  the  pres- 
ent list  of  carpenters  and  builders. 

G.  W.  Hilton,  Van  Knowles,  B.  Durgin,  George 
Delaite,  H.  E.  Rogers,  are  the  painters  and  paper 
hangers. 

II.  O    Perry,   trial  justice  and  insurance  agent, 

II.  W.  Perry,  town  clerk,  and  insurance  agent. 

J.  Wallace  is  a  popular  and  experienced  photog- 
raphist. 

W.  E.  Burpee  is  the  popular  dominion  express 
agent. 

E.  L.  Houghton  and  W.  L.  Bartlett  are  en- 
gaged in  the  real  estate  business. 

L.  N.  Richards  and  A.  P.  Libby  buy  neat  stock, 
sheep  and  horses,  and  are  doing  a  large  and 
growing  business.  Geo.  E.  Childs  is  also  en- 
gaged in  buying  stock,  selling  carriages  and  doing 
a  good  business. 


HISTORY    OF    FOKT    FAIRFIELD.  289 

Edward  W.  Pond  is  a  member  of  the  Fin 
Boom  Co.,  and  agent  and  general  manager  on  the 
Aroostook  waters. 

W.  II.  Estabrook,  eoroner  and  collector  of  taxes. 

Cart.  A.  W.  Puiram,  deputy  sheriff. 

Sixteen  potato  houses  are  eontrolled  by  the  fol- 
lowing ibree  of  potato  buyers,  viz:  O.  F.  Tyler, 
Melvin  Cayting,  James  Dorse}',  II.  Knight  &  Co., 
Thurlough  Riehards  &  Co.  Fisher  &  Osborne,  Chas. 
Kimball,  Geo.  L.  Foss,  Ransford  Faulkner,  F.  A. 
Wiley,  Riehard  Phillips,  Philo  Reed,  Reuben  Thur- 
lough, E.  L.  Houghton.  In  addition  to  their  own 
time,  they  give  employment  to  a  regular  force  of 
thirty-five  men,  and  at  times  require  considerable 
more  extra  help.  The  season  for  buying  and  hand- 
ling potatoes  extends  from  September  first,  until 
fune  first,  and  some  years  until  the  middle  of  June. 


290  HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER   XXXX. 

PROFESSIONAL  MEN. — DR.  E.  G.  DECKER. 

Elbridgc  G.  Decker  was  born  in  Jefferson, 
Lincoln  County,  Maine,  in  1 S 2 7 .  The  common 
school,  Unity  high  school  and  Hampden  Academy 
supplied  the  means  of  a  good  education.  Immedi- 
ately after  arriving  at  his  majority  he  commenced 
the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  J.  C.  Bradley,  of 
Oldtown,  attended  lectures  at  the  Maine  medical 
School,  and  graduated  in  185 1.  The  following 
June  he  started  out  for  the  new  settlement  of  No. 
11  (Ashland)  and  remained  there  seven  yearr. 
lie  then  decided  to  secure  a  new  location,  and  in 
June  1858  he  moved  to  the  then  diminutive  village 
of  Fort  Fairfield,  and  became  the  first  settled 
physician  and  surgeon  in  the  town  and  was  the 
only  one  to  remain  any  length  of  time  until  Dr. 
A.  D.  Sawyer  came.  His  practice  extended  over 
a  vast  territory,  including  what  is  now  Presque 
Isle,  Caribou,  Limestone,  Easton  and  Blaine,  and 
into  the  settlement  adjoining,  in  the  Province  of 
New  Brunswick.     By    day   or    by    night,  through 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


*93 


heat  or  cold,  often  with  roads  so  bad  that  his  horse 
could  only  walk,  in  answer  to  calls,  too  often  from 
those  whom  he  knew  were  too  poor  to  pay ;he  faith- 
fid  lv  discharged  the  duties  of  the  country  physi- 
cian, and  brought  gladness  and  joy  to  many  an 
anxious  and  stricken  household,  where  sorrow  and 
death  would  have  come  without  his  timely  and 
efficient  aid.  In  1852  he  bought  the  building 
upon  Fort  Hill,  erected  by  the  United  States 
troops  who  relieved  the  State  militia  in  the  celebrated 
Aroostook  war,  and  since  that  time  has  made  it 
his  home. 

At  that  time,  the  fort  had  been  demolished, 
the  building,  built  of  large,  square  timber,  had  been 
taken  down  and  sawed  into  boards  at  Pattee's  mill, 
the  stockade  entirely  removed;  but  the  parapets 
were  in  a  good  state  of  preservation.  The  roads 
were  so  poor  that  he  was  obliged  to  ride  on  horse- 
back, and  the  most  of  the  way  at  a  very  slow  pace. 
Into  the  various  settlements  there  was  only  a 
bridlepath,  where  the  underbrush  was  removed 
and  the  way  marked  out  by  spotted  trees.  At 
times  the  roads  to  Presque  Isle,  Caribou  and  the 
St.  John  river  were  almost  impassable.  The 
nearest  mrrket  was  Bangor,  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
seven  miles  away,  to  which  shingles  were  hauled 
and  "supplies"  for  home  and  lumber  operations 
brought  back.  A  trip  to  Iloulton  took  three  lull 
days,  if  time  was  taken  while  there  to  attend  to 
anv  business. 


294  HISTORY    OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD. 

News  from  the  outside  world,  three  days  old, 
and  that  received  but  once  a  week,  was  the  best 
and  latest  to  be  obtained.  The  destitution  and 
actual  poverty  that  too  often  came  to  his  know- 
ledge while  engaged  in  the  duties  of  his  profession, 
were  sometimes  greater  burdens  than  the  fatigue 
of  his  long  and  tiresome  rides.  His  diversified  and 
constantly  varying  experience  was  his  only  re- 
creation, and  in  a  large  degree  actual  practice 
had  to  supply  the  place  of  books.  Professional 
privileges  were  almost  cntirel}'  confined  to  the 
stud}'  of  medical  works,  and  long  and  tiresome 
rides.  Not  until  the  close  of  the  war  of  the  Re- 
bellion was  a  semi-weekly  mail  established  from 
Iloulton. 

It  was  several  years  after  he  came  before  any  fra- 
ternal societies  were  organized.  There  was  not  a 
church  in  the  Aroostook  valley  except  the  small 
Catholic  chapel  some  live  miles  above  here  on  the 
river.  The; early  settlers  were  good  hearted,  and 
some  of  them  generous  to  a  fault,  but  buckwheat 
and  shingles -took  the  place  of  currency,  and  even 
that  was  required  to  parchase  food  ibr  a  dependent 
family.  The  worth)-  physician  never  lacked  for 
good  will  and  good  wishes,  but  at  the  best  there 
was  but  little  pav. 

In  some  of  these  years,  with  a  practice  that 
made  severe  demands  upon  his  time  and  strength, 
monev  was  so  scarce  that  it  was  difficult  to  collect 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  295 


enough  to  pay  for  the  medicine  used  in  his  prac- 
tice. If  enough  was  obtained  of  such  as  the  farm- 
ers raised  to  support  himself  and  wife,  his  time 
was  given  to  regular  practice,  and  little  attention 
was  paid  to  collecting  bills.  The  doctor's  home, 
is,  the  most  prominent  landmark  of  the  Aroostook 
war.  With  the  exception  of  the  removal  of  the 
broad  piazza  that  ran  along  the  front  of  the  entire 
building,  there  is  little  change  since  I  saw  it  in 
1843,  then  occupied  by  Capt.  VanNess,  Lieuten- 
ant Rickets  and  Dr.  Coolidge,  of  the  United  States 
Infantry.  Here  the  doctor  may  still  be  found, 
largely  relieved  of  his  extensive  practice  by 
younger  and  more  active  men,  joining  his  pro- 
fessional brethren  in  consultation  and  in  answer- 
ing calls  near  at  home  from  those  who  never  for- 
get the  old  and  tried  physician  or  want  to  exchange 
for  the  new. 

The  exposure  and  hardships  of  a  large  practice 
have  told  severely  upon  the  doctor,  and  physically 
he  has  aged  beyond  his  years,  but  his  brain  is  clear, 
and  if  necessity  demanded,  his  hand  would  be  as 
strong  to  perform  as  in  years  gone  by. 

When  the  doctor  settled  here,  the  business  01 
the  place  was  largely  carried  on  at  the  lower  part 
of  the  village,  or  "down  to  Pattee's,"  as  it  was  then 
called.  Pattee  and  Hyde  were  engaged  in  the 
mill  and  lumber  trade.  Haines  and  Knight  and 
John    Sterling  were    keeping   public    houses    on   a 


%q6  HISTORY   OF   FOllT   FAIRFIELD. 


small  scale,  but  fully  up  to  the  demands  of  the 
travelling  public,  and  while  he  thought  this  a  good 
place  to  commence  the  work  of  his  profession,  he 
never  expected  the  bright  and  prosperous  future 
that  has  come  to  our  village,  or  the  vindication  of 
his  good  iiidsnn^nt  in   choosing:  this  for  a  home. 

While  largely  those  here  with  him  in  pioneer 
life  have  gone  on  before  him,  those  who  still  re- 
main join  in  hoping  a  long  and  sunshiny  ending  to 
a  devoted,  faithful  and  useful  life. 

DR.    A.    D.    SAWYER. 

A.  D.  Sawyer,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Cumberland 
count}',  Maine,  in  1855.  lie  attended  the  public 
schools  and  Litchfield  academy.  He  attended  the 
Maine  medical  school,  and  graduated  from  the  Uni- 
versity of  the  city  of  New  York  with  the  title  of 
M.  D~,  in  1880. 

Immediately  after  graduating,  he  commenced 
the  practice  of  medicine  at  Lisbon,  and  the  same 
year  was  married  to  Miss  Mabel  C.  Spear.  After 
live  years'  practice  in  this,  his  native  town,  he  re- 
moved to  Fort  Fairfield.  Since  coming  to  this 
town  the  doctor  has  been  in  constant  practice  of 
his  profession,  and  has  proved  an  able  and  success- 
ful practitioner.  In  addition  to  his  professional 
duties,  he  has  taken  a  lively  interest  in  education- 
al matters,  and  from  1889  to  1892  he  was  super- 
visor of  schools.  At  the  March  meeting  ol  1894 
he  was  chosen   chairman   of  the  board   of  school 


HISTORY  02  FORT   I'aiUFIeLD.  U)1 


committee,  and  by  the  other  members  df  the 
board  elected  again  to  the  office  of  supervisor  of 
schools.  For  four  years  he  has  with  great  accept- 
ability served  on  the  United  States  pension  board, 
a:icl  at  the  present  tim?  is  secretary  of  the  board. 

His  home  is  cheered  by  the  presence  of  three 
active,  lively  boys.  The  doctor  is  an  active  and 
influential  Mason,  and  as  a  professional  man  and 
citizen  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who  know 
him. 

\m.  I),  j.  BELL. 

D.  J.  Bell,  M.  D.,  is  of  Lovalistic  descent,  and 
was  born  at  Bristol,  Carleton  county,  New  Bruns- 
wi:k,  in  1863,  and  received  an  education  in  the 
com:*.:on  schools  of  that  place.  His  medical  de- 
gree was  conferred  by  the  Maine  medical  school 
of  Bowdoin  University,  in  1888.  lie  opened  a 
general  practitioner's  office  in  the  village  of  Fort 
Fairfield  the  same  year,  and  commenced  practice, 
and  by  close  attention  to  his  professional  duties, 
has  achieved  a  fair  amount  of  success.  His  wife, 
whom  he  married  in  1888,  was  a  Miss  Miller  of 
Glassville,  Carleton  county,  New  Brunswick. 

The  doctor  has  established  his  residence  and 
office  at  the  Parapet,  Fort  Hill,  where  he  is  snugly 
entrenched  within  the  earthworks  of  the  old  fort, 
from  which  the  town  takes  its  name. 

DR.    [AS.    HARVEY    MURPHY. 

Jas.  Harvey  Murphy,  M.   D.,   was  born  in  An- 


298  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

clover,  New  Brunswick,  Dominion  of  Canada,  May 
4th,  1866.  The  foundation  for  a  practical  educa- 
tion was  laid  in  the  Andover  high  school.  July  4, 
1883,  when  but  little  over  seventeen  years  old,  he 
entered  a  drug  store  as  an  apprentice,  at  Calais, 
Me. 

After  three  years'  experience  and  careful  stud}', 
and  having  removed  to  Madison,  Wisconsin,  in 
1886  he  received  a  diploma  as  a  pharmaceutist.  Af- 
ter three  years  more  of  experience  and  study,  in 
1889  he  entered  the  medical  school  at  Brunswick, 
Me.,  and  June  24th,  1891,  he  graduated  with  hon- 
or, and  received  the  title  of  M.  D.,  and  on  July  12 
of  the  same  year  he  opened  an  office  and  com- 
menced the  practice  of  his  profession  in  this  vil- 
lage. 

Dr.  Murphy,  bv  careful  attention  to  business,  has 
built  up  a  good  practice,  and  secured  a  good  social 
and  professional  standing  in  the  community.  The 
doctor  is  unmarried,  makes  his  home  at  the  Ervin 
House,  and  is  devoted  to  his  profession,  with  ev- 
ery indication  of  a  successful  future  before  him. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  299 


CHAPTER  XXXXL 

PROFESSIONAL     MEN. 
HON.    JOHN     B.     TRAFTON. 

John  B.  Trafton  was  the  eldest  son  of  Gen. 
Mark  Trafton.  lie  was  born  in  Bansror,  Maine, 
where  he  spent  his  boyhood,  and  had  the  advan- 
tages of  schools.  He  remained  in  school  one  year 
after  his  father  came  to  this  county,  and  then  in 
1844  became  a  resident  of  this  town,  (Letter  D 
plantation),  and  opened  a  law  office  on  Fort  Hill, 
in  one  of  the  offices  vacated  by  the  officers  of  the 
United  States  troops.  This  was  the  introduction 
of  a  new  system  into  the  new  settlement,  and  was 
looked  upon  at  first  with  some  degree  of  suspicion. 
While  the  settlers  were  not  above  disputes  and 
disagreements,  they  were  too  poor  to  engage  in 
law  suits,  and  what  could  not  be  settled  by  a  knock- 
down argument,  had  been  allowed,  to  go  by  de- 
fault. 

Mr  Trafton,  with  wisdom  and  dignity  far  beyond 
his  years,  soon  established  a  reputation  that  gave 
him   influence    among  the   settlers   for   irood,   and 


3O0  HISTORY  OF  PORT  FAIRFIELD. 

came  to  be  looked  up  to  as  a  friend,  who  would 
give  advice  that  would  be  wise  to  follow,  without 
a  thought  on  the  part  of  the  receivers  that  it  was 
valuable  counsel  that  ought  to  be  paid  for,  and  in 
most  instances  on  account  of  the  poverty  of  re- 
ceivers, was  given  in  the  same  spirit.  While  for 
many  years  he  was  the  only  lawyer  north  of  IIoul- 
ton,  his  paying  practice  was  very  small,  and  he 
found  it  necessary  to  engage  in  other  business  to 

CI      O 

make  a  living.  lie  thus  became  actively  engaged 
in  lumbering,  milling  and  farming,  doing  an  im- 
portant work  in  the  development  of  the  "infant  in- 
dustries" of  the  new  settlement. 

He  was  postmaster  from  1844  to  1849,  and  from 
1853  to  i860,  and  for  twelve  years  filled  the  im- 
portant and  responsible  position  of  county  attor- 
ncv.  In  this  time  it  fell  to  his  lot  to  manage  for 
the  State  many  important  criminal  matters,  nota- 
bly the  trial  and  conviction  of  James  Matthews  for 
murder  in  1854.  This  case  he  managed  without 
assistance  against  eminent  counsel  engaged  for  the 
defence.  This  we  think  is  the  only  trial  for  mur- 
der in  an  Aroostook  court.  Matthews  was  sen- 
tenced to  be  hanged,  but  died  in  prison  before  the 
execution  of  his  sentence.  Mr.  Trafton  had  an 
important  part  in  the  first  attempt  to  execute  the 
then  new  prohibitory  law,  in  the  courts.  The  first 
prosecutions  aroused  great  interest  on  the  part  of 
the  public,  a  large   majority  of  the  people  of  the 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  303 


county  at  that  time  being  apparently  very  much 
against  the  law,  and  openly  opposed  to  its  enforce- 
ment. 

lie  took  an  active  and  influential  part  in  the  or- 
ganization of  the  15th  Maine  Regiment,  and  was 
offered  the  position  of  one  of  its  field  officers,  but 
decided  that  both  his  country  and  his  own  inter- 
ests demanded  that  it  should  go  to  another.  He 
has  ever  remained  a  friend  of  the  soldiers,  and  the 
cause  for  which  they  fought. 

Mr.  Traftoifs  boyhood  was  spent  amidst  the 
most  popular  days  of  Democratic  supremacy,  anal 
he  came  to  his  majority  when  it  had  obtained  a 
power  and  influence  possessed  by  no  other  party 
in  the  history  of  our  country.  How  much  this  may 
have  h:id  to  do  with  his  djjisio:i  wj  m  iv  never 
know,  but  this  we  do  know,  he  cast  his  lot  with  that 
party,  and  has  always  been  a  consistent,  active  work- 
er and  leader  among  its  hosts. 

Those  familiar  with  the  political  history  of  our 
country  and  State  since  i860  will  see  that  this  has 
been  greatly  to  his  disadvantage  so  far  as  political 
preferment  was  concerned.  Me  has  devoted  him- 
self to  his  profession,  maintaining  a  high  reputation 
as  a  counselor,  citizen  and  friend.  In  1868  he  was 
the  candidate  of  his  part\  for  presidential  elector, 
\n  1880  he  was  a  delegate  to  the  Democratic  na- 
tional convention  J|t  Cincinatti.  For  many  years 
he  has  beep  president  of  the  county  bar  association, 


304  HISTORY    OF    FOBT    FAIRFIELD. 

and  held  in  high  esteem  by  his  professional 
assoeiates.  Of  late  years  he  has  been  somewhat 
less  active  in  politics,  but  is  earnestly  and  success- 
lull}'  engaged  in  his  professional  duties. 

In  1847  he  embarked  upon  the  matrimonial  sea. 
He  married  Miss  Sarah  Staple  of  Sangerville,  Me., 
and  laid  the  foundation  for  a  quiet,  peaceful  and 
happy  life.  To  them  have  been  born  children, 
of  whom  two  only  have  lived  to  years  of  maturity: 
a  devoted,  lovely  daughter,  the  wife  of  C.  B.  Rob- 
erts, Esq.,  of  Caribou,  and  Herbert  W.  Trafton, 
Esq.,  for  two  years  the  able  and  efficient  school 
director,  under  whose  supervision  town  and  vil- 
lage schools  have  maintained  their  high  standing. 
He  has  also  served  one  term  as  deputy  collector  at 
this  place,  and  is  a  member  of  the  law  firm  of 
Trafton  and  Trafton  of  this  village. 

HON.  NICHOLAS  FESSEXDEN. 

Nicholas  Fessenden,  son  of  Hewett  C.  and  Mary 
T.  Fessenden,  and  a  grandson  of  General  Samuel 
Fessenden  of  Portland,  was  born  at  Saco  in  York 
county,  November  23d,  1847.  ^n  l^5S  n*s  father 
removed  to  Eastport,  in  Washington  county,  and 
there  the  subject  of  this  sketch  resided  until  man- 
hood, obtaining  his  education  in  the  schools  of 
Eastport,  then  as  now,  among  the  best  in  the  State, 
at  the  Lewiston  Falls  academy,  since  known  as 
the  Edward  Little  institute,  and  at  Bowdoin  college, 
which  H2  entered  in  i85i.     IT?  ivncl  law  wit  1   the 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  305 


late  John  II.  French  of  Eastport,  and  also  in  the 
office  of  Gen.  S.  D.  Leavitt,  and  was  admitted  to 
practice  at  Machias  in  April,  1868. 

After  practicing  a  year  in  Calais,  and  something 
less  than  a  year  in  Pembroke,  Mr.  Fessendcn  came 
to  Fort  Fairfield  in  October,  187 1,  where  he  has 
ever  since  resided,  having  married  Laura  E.,  daugh- 
ter of  the  late  John  Sterling,  who  was  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  Fort  Fairfield,  or,  as  it  was  formerly 
called,  Letter  D,  Range  1. 

The  village  of  Fort  Fairfield  in  1871  was  but  a 
"country  corner,"  compared  with  the  town  of  today; 
and  law  practice  yielding  but  a  trifling  income,  Mr. 
Fessendcn  devoted  himself  to  teaching  and  waiting 
for  the  business  which  he  confident!}'  believed 
would  come  with  the  growth  of  the  town  and  sur- 
rounding country. 

At  one  time  and  another  Mr.  Fessendcn  has  held 
various  municipal  offices.  He  was  the  second 
town  clerk  ever  elected,  succeeding  the  late  Hen- 
ry W.  Hyde,  (who  had  held  the  office  from  the 
incorporation  of  the  town  in  1858,  until  his  death 
in  1873.)  He  served  one  or  more  years  as  super- 
visor of  schools  and  as  a  member  of  the  board  of 
school  committee,  and  for  eight  successive  years, 
from  1875  to  1883,  was  an  active  member  of  the 
board  of  municipal  officers,  interesting  himself  in 
every  measure  which  tended  to  advance  the  devel- 
opment and  progress  of  the  town,  and  losing  no 


306  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

opportunity  to  advocate  whatever  seemed  to  prom- 
ise the  future  advancement  of  its  prosperity. 

For  lour  years,  from  1877  to  1880,  Mr.  Fessen- 
den  served  the  county  as  register  of  probate.  In 
1883-4  he  was  a  member  of  the  executive  council, 
during  Governor  Robie's  first  term, — was  clerk  of 
the  Maine  house  of  representatives  in  1S85-7-9,  and 
in  January,  1891,  was  elected  secretary  of  State, 
the  duties  of  which  office  he  is  discharging  at 
the  time  of  this  writing. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Fessenden  has  been  closely 
identified  with  the  great  order  of  Oddfellowship, 
and  has  been  honored  by  the  membership  with  the 
office  of  grand  master,  and  also  grand  representa- 
tive. 

The  years  from  1871  until  the  present  have  wit- 
nessed the  most  pronounced  period  of  growth  with 
which  Fort  Fairfield  has  been  favored.  The  vil- 
lage in  this  time  has  grown  from  a  hamlet  of  eight 
business  places  and  a  scattered  and  straggling  row 
of  dwellings,  into  one  of  the  pushing,  thriving 
towns  of  the  State,  enjoying  most  of  the  modern 
privileges,  such  as  waterworks,  electric  lighting 
and  other  conveniences  which  make  towns  pleas- 
ant and  enjoyable,  and  it  is  fair  to  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  to  say  that  his  influence  has  been  con- 
stantly and  continually  exercised  in  favor  of  any- 
thing conducing  to  sound  growth. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  307 


HON.    M.    X.     DREW. 

Morrill  N.  Drew,  son  of  Hon.  Jesse  and  Clara 
B.  Wellington  Drew,  was  born  in  Fort  Fairfield 
May  17th,  1862,  He  was  educated  in  the  public 
Schools,  Bates  college  and  the  Boston  university. 
He  graduated  from  the  law  department  of  the  lat- 
ter institution  in  1885,  and  received  the  degree  of 
L.  L.  B. 

He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  May,  1885,  in 
Androscoggin  county,  and  during  the  summer  of 
1885  pursued  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of 
Powers  and  Powers  in  1 1 011 1  ton. 

In  October,  1885,  he  commenced  the  practice  of 
law  at  Fort  Fairfield,  and  continued  the  practice 
of  his  profession  until  October,  1893,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Portland  to  form  a  partnership  with 
Rilph  T.  Whitehonse,  son  of  Judge  William 
Penn  Whitehonse. 

In  1886  he  was  unanimously  nominated  by  the 
Republican  county  convention  for  the  office  of 
county  attorney,  and  was  elected,  receiving  the 
full  party  vote,  and  filling  the  office  so  acceptably 
that  he  received  a  unanimous  nomination  again, 
and  was  elected.  In  1888  he  was  chairman  of  the 
Republican  county  convention.  He  received  a 
unanimous  nomination  for  the  legislature  in  1890, 
and  elected  by  the  largest  majority  ever  given  in 
the  district,  and  again  in  1892  received  a  unanimous 
nomination,  and  was  again  elected.      In  the  legis- 


308  HISTORY    OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD. 

lature  he  served  on  three  committees^  viz:  the  ju- 
diciary, the  legal  affairs  and  taxation.  In  1887  he 
was  appointed  by  Governor  Burleigh  one  of  the 
commissioners  to  investigate  the  condition  of  ai- 
fairs  in  Madawaska  territory.  In  1889  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  Governor  Burleigh  one  of  the  commis- 
sioners to  contract  for,  and  purchase  land  for  the 
settlers  in  Madawaska  territory.  In  the  perform- 
ance of  all  these  official  duties  Mr.  Drew  has  dis- 
played marked  ability,  and  given  the  best  of  satis- 
faction to  the  public  whom  he  has  served. 

In  1892  he  was  active  in  forming  the  Fort  Fair- 
field national  bank,  arc!  was  its  president  until  he 
removed  to  Portland.  For  four  years  and  up  to 
the  time  of  his  removal  to  Portland,  he  was  a  di- 
rector in  Prcsque  Isle  national  bank. 

In  December,  1892,  Mr.  Drew  was  married  to 
Miss  Sarah  Louisa,  daughter  of  Hon.  Jesse  Davis, 
of  Lisbon,  Maine. 

lion.  Morrill  N.  Drew  has  always  been  a  Re- 
publican in  politics,  and  occupied  a  good  position 
among  his  party  associates,  and  as  active  in  poli- 
tics as  has  been  consistent  with  careful  attention 
to  his  professional  duties.  LTnquestionably,  there 
is  a  bright  future  before  him,  and  an  open  field, 
either  in  the  line  of  his  profession  or  in  the  politi- 
cal world. 

WILLIAM    T.    SPEAIL 

William  T.  Spear,  the  oldest  son  of  Reuben  T. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  309 

and  Martha  S.  Spear,  was  born  in  New  Vineyard, 
Franklin  county,  Maine,  February  19,  1853;  lived 
in  New  Portland  until  August,  1862,  when  his  par- 
ents emigrated  to  Fremont  plantation,  now  the 
town  of  Eastoil,  in  this  county,  and  settled  on  a 
new  lot,  on  which  they  lived  until  1809,  when 
they  sold  and  purchased  the  farm  at  Easton  centre 
where  his  father  resided  until  March,  1894.  Mr. 
Spear's  father  being,  like  many  of  the  early  settlers 
of  Aroostook,  poor,  William  was  brought  up  to 
work  on  the  farm,  which  he  did  either  for  his  father 
or  others,  until  twenty  years  of  age. 

Having,  like  many  another  farmer's  boy  in  a 
new  settlement,  been  deprived  of  the  privilege  of 
attending  school  during  the  first  twenty  years  of 
his  life,  except  for  a  few  weeks  in  winter,  his  edu- 
cation pTactieallv  began  in  the  fall  of  1873,  when 
he  attended  a  term  of  high  school  in  this  town, 
taught  by  Hon.  Nicholas  Fessenden.  From  that 
time  until  1877  Mr.  Spear  spent  his  time  in  attend- 
ing our  high  school,  with  one  term  at  Iloulton 
academy,  and  teaching.  In  the  spring  of  1877  he 
entered  the  office  of  C.  T.  Daniels,  Esq.,  then  of 
Presque  Isle,  to  stud)'  law.  In  the  fall  of  that  year 
he  entered  the  office  of  the  late  Judge  II.  R. 
Dowaes  of  Presque  Isle,  with  whom  h:  w/.s  associ- 
ated as  a  student  and  law  partner,  until  November, 
18S0,  he  having  been  admitted  to  the  Aroostook  bar 
in  February,  1878,  when  he  removed  to  Fort  Fair- 


310  HISTORY  OF  FOfiT  FAIRFIELD. 

field,  where  he  practiced  his  profession  until 
April,  1882,  when  he  removed  to  Iloulton  and 
formed  a  co-partnership  with  Hon.  Vinal  B.  \Yil- 
son,  with  whom  he  was  associated  until  January  1, 

1SS5. 

Politically,  Mr.  Spear  has  always  been  a  Demo- 
crat, and  as  such,  during  the  past  eighteen  years 
has  taken  an  active  interest  in  politics,  discussing 
in  nearly  even'  campaign  political  questions  in  the 
press  and  from  the  stump.  For  several  years  he 
has  served  on  the  town  and  county  committees  of 
his  party  and  been  a  delegate  to  several  State  con- 
ventions. 

In  1876  he  was  the  Democratic  candidate  for 
register  of  probate,  but  was  defeated  by  Hon.  N. 
Fessenden.  In  1880  he  was  unanimously  re-nomi- 
nated for  that  office  and  elected,  serving  four  years. 
In  April,  1885,  he  was  appointed  deputy  collector 
of  customs  at  Iloulton,  and  served  in  that  capacity 
until  June,  1888,  when  he  resigned  to  return  to 
Fort  Fairfield  to  resume  the  practice  of  law,  where 
he  has  since  resided.  In  1892,  Mr.  Spear  was 
unanimously  nominated  as  the  Democratic  candi- 
date for  judge  of  probate,  but  the  Republicans 
carrying  the  county,  he  was  defeated.  lie  is  now 
serving  as  a  deputy  collector  of  customs,  to  which 
office  he  was  appointed  in  June,  1893.  During  his 
residence  in  Presque  Isle  he  served  on  the  school 
committee,  or  as  supervisor,  ami  from  1881  to  '*_>. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  JIl 

occupied  the  office  of  town  clerk  of  Fort  Fairfield. 

October  14th,  1885,  he  was  married  to  Annie  L., 

daughter    of  Rev.    James    Beiinet,    D.    D.,   of   St. 

John,  N.  B.,  bv  whom  he  has  one  child,  a  son, 
James  Berihet  Spear,  born  November  16th,  1891. 
lie  has  always  taken  a  lively  interest  in  educa- 
tional and  other  matters  that  tend  to  build  up  his 
town,  and  advance  the  prosperity  of  Aroostook 
County. 

JOHN    N.    BUIDGES. 

John  X.  Bridges  was  born  in  Mcddybcmps,  Me., 
Nov.  1 6th,  1866,  and  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  town  and  of  the  city  of  Cal- 
ais. He  commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the  office 
and  with  A.  MacNichol  of  Calais,  and  was  admit- 
ted to  the  Washington  county  bar,  Judge  Emery 
presiding,  in  October,  1892. 

Alter  a  practice  of  one  year  in  Calais,  he  mar- 
ried and  immediately  came  to  Fort  Fairfield  and 
opened  an  office,  and  is  receiving  a  good  share  of 
business  in  his  profession. 

IIFRIJFRT    T.    rOVVERS. 

Herbert  T.  Powers  was  born  in  IMttstield,  Me., 
November  13th,  1870;  was  educated  in  the  public 
and  high  schools.  lie  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
wSomerset  county  in  September.  1892,  and  soon  al- 
ter commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  Blaine,  in 
tttifi  comity.     One  year  Later  be  tiniuxl  a  gped  open- 


312  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

ingin  the  village  of  Ft.  Fairfield, and  took  the  office 
made  vacant  by  the  removal  of  lion.  M.  N.  Drew 
to  Portland.  lie  has  secured  a  good  practice,  and 
is  making  many  friends.  He  is  unmarried  and  is 
counted  among  the  most  promising  young  men  of 
the  day. 

WIL3ERT    L.    BARTLETT. 

Mr.  Wilbert  L.  Bartlett,  after  seven  years  of  law 

practice,  in  the  fall  of  1893  decided  to  open  an  of- 
fice in  the  village  of  Fort  Fairfield.  Mr.  Bartlett 
is  an  easy  public  speaker,  a  Republican  in  politics, 
and  is  building  up  a  good  practice. 

HERBERT    \V.    TRAFTO?\ 

Herbert  W.  Trafton,  only  son  of  Hon.  John  B. 
Traftcn  arc!  Sr.rr.h  Trr.ftcn  cf  Fcit  Fah.field,  was 
born  thirty  years  ago.  He  graduated  from  Colby 
university  in  the  class  of  "86.  lie  studied  Lw 
with  C.  B.  Roberts  of  Caribou  and  with  J.  B.  Traf- 
ton of  Fort  Fairfield,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
Aroostook  county  bar  at  the  February  term  of  the 
supreme  judicial  court  in  1891.  In  August  of  the 
same  year  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Kate 
P.  Winslow. 

Mr.  Trafton  has  served  one  term  as  deputy  col- 
lector at  Fort  Fairfield,  and  two  years  as  schcel 
supervisor,  and  is  actively  engaged  in  the  law  bus- 
iness under  the  firm  name  of  Trafton  and  Trafton. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  313 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

PROFESSIONAL  MEN — CONTINUED. 

REV.    GEO.    B.     IIESCOCK. 

George  B.  Hescock  was  born  in  Abbot,  Piscat- 
aquis county,  Maine,  in  1842.  Before  his  majority 
he  was  actively  engaged  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion, 
faithfully  performing  the  duties  of  a  soldier  until 
the  battle  of  the  Wilderness  in  May,  1864.  In  that 
memorable  battle  he  was  wounded;  this  was  fol- 
lowed by  weary  months  in  the  hospital,  a  furlough 
to  return  home,  and   final    discharge  for  disability. 

With  health  impaired,  he  set  himself  about  se- 
curing a  practical  education,  selecting  teaching  as 
a  profession.  This  he  followed  until  the  fall  of 
1888,  when  he  entered  into  an  arrangement  with 
the  Congregational  society  of  this  village  to  supply 
their  pulpit  for  an  indefinite  time  with  the  view 
of  becoming  their  pastor,  should  the  relations 
thus  formed  prove  to  be  mutually  satisfactory. 

On  the  28th  of  March,  1889,  he  was  ordained  to 
the  gospel  ministry- and  installed  pastor  of  the  Fort 


314  HISTORY    OF    FOKT    FAIRFIELD. 

Fairfield  Congregational  Church.  Since  that  time 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Ilescock  has  with  great  acceptability 

discharged  the  important  and  responsible  duties 
incumbent  upon  that  office,  and  is  held  in  high 
esteem  by  all  the  people  who  know  him. 

REV.   J.    II.    BARKER,    M.    O. 

Dr.  Barker,  the  present  pastor  of  the  Methodist 
Kpiscopal  Church,  was  born  in  Sheffield.  Sunburv 
county.  New  Brunswick.  Tie  graduated  from 
Harvard  medical  school  in  1859,  lie  practiced 
medicine  in  New  Brunswick  for  thirty  years. 
During  his  medical  practice  he  was  a  Christian 
worker,  aiding  the  local  pastors  in  their  work. 
For  a  long  time  he  had  been  strongly  inclined 
towards  the  work  of  the  regular  ministry.  In  the 
spring,  of  1889  he  made  application  and  was  ad- 
mitted into  East  Maine  conference  and  joined  the 
itinerant  ranks. 

The  immediate  cause  of  the  doctor's  giving  him- 
self to  this  work  was  the  immediate  and  miracu- 
lous healing  of  his  present  wife  in  April  of  1885. 
She  had  been  a  spinal  invalid  for  fourteen  vcars; 
she  had  been  treated  by  many  good  physicians, 
who  had  failed  to  help  her.  In  the  spring  of  that 
year,  in  answer  to  the  prayer  of  faith,  she  received 
the  healing  touch  of  the  Great  Physician,  and  from 
a  state  of  extreme  emaciation  and  almost  total  pa- 
ralysis, she  rose  immediately  and  walked. 

One  vear  after  her  hcalinsr  she  was  united  to  Dr. 


tilSTOfcY  OK   POUT  FAtfcFIkLf).  Jig 

Barker  in  marriage,  and  for  nine  years  they  have 
been  engaged  in  earnest  and  faithful  work  in  build- 
ing up  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  A  little  one  two 
years  and  eight  months  old  now  cheers  the  parson- 
age home  in  Fort  Fairfield. 

The  doe  tor's  first  wife  was  a  Miss  'fay  lor  of 
Sheffield,  and  a  nieee  of  ex-Governor  Tilley 
of  New  Brunswick.  She  left  five  children,  three 
sons  and  two  daughters.  Two  of  his  sons  are  in 
business  in  Oakland,  California,  and  the  third  is 
pastor  of  a  Methodist  church  at  Red  Deer,  Alber- 
ta county,  Northwest  Territory,  Dominion  of  Can- 
ada. His  daughter  Stella  is  now  cashier  of  the 
international  steamship  company,  Eastport,  Me. 
The  other  daughter  is  at  home  with  her  parents  at 
the  Eoit  Fairfield  parsonage. 

The  pastors  present  relations  with  his  society 
and  the  people  of  this  town  have  been  eminently 
pleasant  and  profitable,  and  the  prospect  is  that  the 
annual  conference  soon  to  meet  at  Houlton  will 
not  break  the  bonds  that  now  unite  pastor  and  peo- 
ple. 

REV.  GEO.  BRUCE  NICHOLSON. 

George  Bruce  Nicholson  was  born  in  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  in  1862.  After  spending  the  usual 
time  in  the  public  schools,  in  1880  he  graduated 
from  the  Greenville,  N.  Y.,  military  academy  in 
view  of  entering  the  West  Point  military  academy. 
That  plan  was  abandoned,  and  he  engaged  in  busi- 


3 16  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

ness.  In  1882  he  was  married  to  Miss  Adelaide 
Smith  of  Boston.  Subsequently,  having  a  call  to 
the  ministry,  he  engaged  in  a  thorough  preparation 
for  that  work,  and  in  1891  was  ordained  deacon  in 
the  cathedral  of  St.  Luke,  Portland,  Maine.  He 
then  went  to  Massachusetts  and  was  in  charge, 
temporarily,  of  St.  James  Church,  Somcrville. 

In  the  fall  of  1892  he  was  stationed  at  Fort  Fair- 
field, Maine,  by  Right  Reverend  Dr.  Neely,  bishop 
of  Maine,  and  also  placed  in  charge  of  Caribou, 
and  later  of  Limestone.  In  the  fall  of  1893  he 
was  advanced  to  the  priesthood  by  the  Right  Rev- 
erend Bishop  Neely  in  St.  Paul's  Episcopal  Church, 
Fort  Fairfield.  At  the  organization  of  the  convo- 
cation of  Aroostook,  he  was  elected  dean  of  the 
convocation,  and  instituted  into  the  office  by  the 
bishop. 

HE V.    GEORGE    E.    KNEELAND. 

Mr.  Kneeland  is  a  young  man  who  is  now,  after 
nearly  two  years  with  the  Fort  Fairfield  Free  Bap- 
tist Church,  serving  them  with  great  acceptability. 

He  is  proving  to  be  a  faithful  and  industrious 
pastor,  devoted  to  his  work,  and  in  connection 
with  his  estimable  wife,  is  doing  good  work  for 
the  Master. 

WILLIAM    PEXX    VARNEY. 
•    William  Penn  Varnev  was  born  in  Albion,  Me., 
May  20th,   1832.     His  parents  were  members  of 
the  societv  of  Friends,  and  through  all  his  years 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  317 


up  to  earl}  manhood  the  influence  of  that  society 
entered  largely  into  his  social  surroundings. 

In  1853  he  married  Lydia  Cook  of  China,  Maine, 

and  in  i860  removed  to  Fort  Fairfield  and  located 
in  the  south  part  of  the  town,  in  a  new  neighbor- 
hood made  of  members  of  that  so-uetv.  lie  com- 
menced to  make  a  home  in  the  unbroken  wilder- 
ness, and  upon  this  location  he  has  remained  until 
the  present  time.  To  them  have  been  born  six 
children,  two  of  whom  have  passed  over  to  the  bet- 
ter land,  two  are  carried  and  have  pleasant  and 
happy  homos,  within  an  hour's  ride  of  the  home  of 
their  childhood,  while  the  youngest  two  are  not 
yet  of  age. 

In  the  organization  of  the  Maple  Grove  Friends 
SD2i3ty,  Mr.  Yarajy  tj:)k  a.i  active  aid  influential 
part,  and  from  the  first  was  an  active  and  worthy 
member,  and  in  1882,  he  became  a  recognized 
minister  by  the  society  of  which  he  had  long  been 
a  member;  a  position  he  has  uninterruptedly  tilled 
until  the  present  time.  While  his  ministerial  labors 
have  been  principally  with  this  society,  Mr.  Var- 
ncy  is  held  in  high  esteem  in  the  community,  and 
is  active  and  outspoken  on  all  questions  of  reform. 

REV.    ELBRIDGE    KNIGHT. 

Elbridge  Knight  was  born  in  Newport,  New 
York,  July  19th,  1812.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  and  Phillips  academy,  Andover, 
Mass.,  where  he  spent  four  years  in  the  study  ol 


3  IS  HISTORY  OF  FOUT  FAIRFIELD. 

tlu  hi^'.ier  Eaglish  branches,  classics  an 3  civil  err* 
gineeriag.  He  was  professor  of  mithemiti*3  ail 
theology  in  Holmes  theological  institute/PIym  rath, 
New  Hampshire.  While  principal  of  Cr.ifcsb.ir/ 
academy,  Craftsbnry,  Verm  rat,  the  Vermont  uni- 
versity conferred  upon  him  the  decree  of  A.  M. 
He  was  married  December  roth,  1841,  in  Moht- 
pelier,  Vt.,  to  Miss  Anne  Whitten  of  Boston,  Mass. 
She  was  born  in  Rochester,  Vt.,  April  6th,  18 16. 
To  them  have  been  born  nine  children:  Herman 
Knight,  born  in  December,  1842,  and  now  re- 
siding in  Fort  Fairfield.  Homer  W.,  now  residing 
in  Boston,  Mass.,  Mary  Anna,  deceased,  Ella  May, 
now  residing  in  Presque  Isle,  Herbert  D., — in  bus- 
iness at  Presque  Isle,  died  in  February,  1894, — Ef- 
rie,  now  in  Boston,  Mass.,  Henry  Elbridge,  now  in 
Colorado,  Dora  Eunice,  deceased,  and  Adelbert  II., 
who  now  resides  on  the  old  homestead  in  Fort 
Fairfield. 

In  1852  he  become  the  acting  pastor  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church,  which  relation  he  sustained 
for  nearly  fifteen  years.  He  was  social  and  ap- 
proachable, and  gained  the  confidence  of  old  and 
young.  His  congregations  were  good,  and  while 
much  of  his  time  was  taken  with  his  official  duties, 
he  made  him  a  comfortable  home  and  good  farm 
out  of  the  wilderness.  An  idea  of  the  ministerial 
work  may  be  obtained  when  we  realize  the  bad 
condition  of  the  roads,  and  that  his  labors  extend- 


HISTORY    OS"    FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


3*9 


cd  to  Littleton,  Washburn,  Limestone  and  neigh- 
boring plantations.     In  a  single  month  he  traveled 

over  three  hundred  miles  in  going  to  and  returning 
from  funerals.  I  lis  early  training  as  a  civil  engin- 
eer was  of  good  use  in  the  new  country.  By  his 
careful  work  and  good  advice  many  disputes  about 

boundary  lines  were  settled.  lie  was  for  a  time 
in  the  employ  of  the  State  in  lotting  out  the  land 
of  the  settlers  under  the  Webster-Ashburton 
treaty,  and  lotted  the  town  of  Washburn  for  set- 
tlement. 

As  a  public  speaker  he  was  logical,  earnest  and 
effective,  always  carrying  the  conviction  to  his 
hearers  that  he  believed  what  he  preached.  Mr. 
Knight  was  an  earnest  anti-slavery  man,  and  when 
the  struggle  for  supremacy  came  lie  was  an  earn- 
est Republican. 

With  slavery  destroyed,  he  looked  upon  intem- 
perance as  its  great  twin  evil,  and  believing  the 
organization  of  a  distinct  political  party,  the  best 
means  to  secure  its  overthrow,  he  has  beccme  an 
earnest  and  conscientious  Prohibitionist. 

Coming  to  a  new  country  with  its  hardships  and 
privations,  he  cheerfully  accepted  the  situation, 
and  has  been  a  faithful  and  successful  worker  in 
advancing  its  interests  and  general  prosperity. 
and  by  reading  and  study  has  kept  well  abreast  t  f 
its  steady  advahcenaemVand  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
two  is  well  posted  in  public  affairs,  and  an  interest- 
ing Jind  instructive  conversationalist, 


320  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER    XLIII. 

SOCIETIES. 
GRAND    ARMY    OF    THE    REPUBLIC. 

It  was  not  until  1882  that  the  ex-soldiers  of  Fort 
Fairfield  decided  to  organize  a  Grand  Army  post. 
This  organization,  perfected  by  the  mustering  in 
and  election  of  the  proper  officers,  brought  togeth- 
er from  time  to  time  the  "old  soldiers*'  and  revived 
old  associations,  and  kept  the  fires  of  patriotism 
burning.  Since  its  first  organization  in  October, 
18S2,  there  have  been  mustered  into  the  post  one 
hundred  and  twenty  members.  The  source  from 
which  numbers  can  be  drawn  point  forward  to  the 
time  when  this  organization  must  become  extinct. 
None  but  men  who  have  served  in  the  Union  ar- 
my in  defence  of  the  Union  and  have  an  honora- 
ble discharge  are  eligible  to  membership,  and 
when  death  invades  their  ranks  it  leaves  them 
without  the  means  of  re-filling  them.  In  a  few 
short  years  the  last  meeting  will  be  called  to  or- 
der, the  last  campfire  enjoyed  and  the  last  recital 
q¥  reminiscences  been  made* 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  32 1 

Already  thirty  of  the  veteran  comrades  have 
been  honorably  discharged;  fourteen  have  an- 
swered to  the  last  roll  call,  and  others  have  removed 
to  other  states,  while  holding  their  membership 
here,  leaving  many  vacant  seats. 

The  strong  hold  and  kind  remembrance  in  which 
this  organization  now  stands  will  best  be  understood 
by  future  generations,  from  the  consideration  that 
a  day  has  been  set  apart  by  the  nation,  in  which 
all  the  lo3*al  people  of  the  country  join  the  Grand 
Army  posts  in  decorating  soldiers'  graves,  and 
assemble  for  memorial  addresses;  and  in  this  year, 

A.  D.  1894,  nearly  forty  years  alter  the  close  of 
the  war,  the  people  assembled  at  their  annual 
town  meeting  voted  to  appropriate  fifty  dollars  for 
the  use  of  Kilpatrick  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  to  aid  in  ap- 
propriately observing  Memorial  Day. 

MASONS. 

Eastern  Frontier  Lodge  No.  112,  F.  and  A.  M., 
was  organized  May  8th,  1862,  and  has  been  regu- 
larly at  labor  until  the  present  time.  The  follow- 
ing are  the  charter  members:  F.  W.  Smith,  D.  W. 
Orcutt,  E.  P.  Whitney,  J.  B.  Robbins,  II.  L.  Fos- 
ter, J.  B.  Trafton,  James  Doyle,  A.  P.  Wellington, 

B.  T.  Durgin,  Isaac  Hacker  and  E.  G.  Decker. 
Up  to  the  present  time  it  has  conferred  the  de- 
gree of  master  mason  upon  two  hundred  persons, 
counting  among  its  members  many  of  the  most  re- 
liable citizens  of  this  and  adjoining  towns;  thirty- 


322  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

three  have  died,  others  have  demitted  to  join  sis- 
ter lodges,  and  others  to  remove  to  other  localities, 
until  the  }  resent  membership  is  reduced  to  one 
hundred.  Forty-two  of  its  members  were  in  the 
Union  army  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  After 
many  changes,  it  is  located  in  a  beautiful  hall  up- 
on the  second  floor  of  a  fine  building  owned  bv 
the  fraternity.  The  following  are  the  officers:  W. 
W.  Sloco-b,  W.  M.;  E.  L.  Houghton,  S.  W.;  G. 
S.  Stevens,  J.  W.;  J.  S.  Hall,  treasurer;  N.  II. 
Martin,  secretary;  H.  W.  Trafton,  S.  D. ;  F.  C. 
Jeffs,  J.  D.;  O.  S.  Ginn,  S.  S.;  W.  S.  Davidson,  J. 
S.,  and  S.  F.  Lord,  T. 

ODD    FELLOWS. 

Pioneer  Lodge  No.  77,  I.  I.  O.  F.,  Fort  Fairfield, 
Maine,  was  instituted  February  nd,  1881. 

There  was  at  that  time  but  five  Odd  Fellows  to 
be  found  in  the  county,  viz:  Rev.  G.  M.  Park,  J. 
A.  Bridges,  F.  Jones,  E.  W.  Lowney  and  }.  A.Biz- 
zell. 

These,  together  with  seven  others  upon  whom 
the  degrees  were  conferred  at  that  time,  constituted 
the  charter  members  of  the  lodge. 

The  first  officers  were  as  follows:  Rev.  G.  M. 
Park,  N.  G.;  J.  A.  Bridges,  V.  G.;  N.  II. Martin, sec- 
retary; J.  C.  Lunt,  treasurer;  II.  N.  Goodhue,  W.; 
C.  D.  Cutts,  C;  II.  D.  Mills,  J.  D.;  S.  M.  Grant, 
R.  S.  S.;  F.  A.  Buzzell,  L.  S.  S.;  F.  A.  Grant,  R. 
S.  N.  G.;  C.  E.  Powers,  L.  S.  N.  G.;W.  R.  Grant, 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  323 

chaplain;    A.  O.  French,   R.  S.  V.  G.,  and  N.  G. 
Gilbert,  N.  S.  V.  G. 

With  the  first  year  lodges  at  Houlton,  Caribou 
aid  Presqu  Isle  were  instituted,  the  charter  mem- 
bers withdrawing  from  the  Fort  Fairfield  lodge. 
They  now  have  a  large  and  flourishing  lodge  of  one 
hundred  and  forty  members,  and  own  the  post  office 
building,  with  a  large  and  well  furnished  hall  on 
the  second  floor. 

THE    ENCAMPMENT. 

On  February  24th,  1884,  Northern  Light  En- 
campment No.  142  was  instituted,  with  thirteen 
charter  members  and  the  following  officers:  E.  E. 
Scates,  C.  P.;  J.  S.  Stevens,  II.  P.;  D.  S.  Jones,  S. 
W.;  C.  D.  Cutts,  J.  W.;  E.  C.  Betts,  secretary,  and 
F.  S.  Burpee,  treasurer. 

The  charter  members  of  the  encampment  at 
Presquc  Isle  have  withdrawn,  and  yet  they  have 
a  flourishing  membership  of  eighty-seven. 

C  A  X  T  O  X    W  A  B  A  S  S  0 . 

June  26th,  1888,  Canton  Wabasso,  No.  22  was 
instituted,  with  twenty-five  charter  members,  and 
the  following  officers:  C.  D.  Cutts,  captain;  Geo. 
E.  Bartlett,  lieutenant;  II.  N.  Goodhue,  ensign; 
E.  E.  Scates,  clerk,  and  B.  T.  Dnrgin,  treasurer. 

After  the  withdrawal  of  charter  members  for 
Canton  Columbia,  Presque  Isle,  and  Canton  Houl- 
ton, Houlton,  Me.,  this  canton  has  fifty  active  (uni- 
formed) members,  with  C.  D.  Cutts,  captain,  and 
E.  E.  Scates,  clerk. 


324  HISTORY    OF    FOftT    FAIRFIELD. 

OTHER    SOCIETIES. 

There  is  also  a  lodge  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
with  Dr.  J.  II.  Murphy  C.  C.  and  II.  T.  Powers  K. 
of  R.  and  S.;  a  lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Foresters— G.  W.  Richardson  C.  R.,  and  C.  L. 
Richards  F.  secretary;  the  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Rule,  and  the  usual  societies  of  young  people  con- 
nected with  the  several  churches. 

Both  the  W.  C.  T.  U.  and  the  non-partisan  W. 
C.  T.  U.  have  flourishing  societies.  The  Chatauqua 
Circle  has  its  regular  meetings,  and  has  an  active, 
intelligent  membership. 

FORT    FAIRFIELD    MAY    I,     1 894. 

In  addition  to  all  the  other  advantages,  Fort 
Fairfield  in  1894  has  one  of  the  finest  water  sys- 
tems in  the  country.  The  quality  of  the  water 
cannot  be  surpassed,  and  with  a  pressure  of  sixty 
pounds  to  the  square  inch,  it  gives  the  best  possi- 
ble protection  against  fire.  Lying  along  the  Aroos- 
took river,  a  perfect  system  of  sewerage  can  easily 
be  secured,  and  within  easy  reach  is  a  waterpower 
by  which  electric  lights,  and  power  for  street  rail- 
ways and  manufacturing,  are  at  her  command. 

While  broad  farms  dot  her  hillsides  and  valleys, 
there  are  beautiful  forests  to  make  a  varying  land- 
scape, and  without  marring  its  beauty,  many  more 
broad  acres  may  be  subdued. 

Her  wealthy  farmers,  her  active,  enterprising 
business   men,  her  able  and  reliable   professional 


HISTORY    Oy    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  325 

men,  have  already  laid  the  foundation,  and  the  na- 
tural development  and  prosperity  of  a  few  more 
years  will  see  a  live,  flourishing  and  prosperous 
cit\ .  It  is  fitting  and  proper,  in  closing  this  his- 
tory, to  give  brief  biographical  sketches,  not  onlv 
of  those  who  laid  the  foundation,  and  those  who 
are  manor  born,  but  of  those  who  are  the  active 
and  successful  workers  of  the  present  day. 


326  HISTORY  OF  FOBT  FAIRFIELD. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

DEACON    HIRAM     STEVENS. 

Hiram  Stevens  was  born  in  the  town  of  Strong, 
now  Franklin  county,  Maine,  in  April,  1818.  His 
father  removed  to  North  Salem,  and  from  there  to 
Abbott,  Piscataquis  county,  before  his  majority. 

In  the  winter  of  1838  and  1839,  the  dispute  in 
regard  to  the  northeast  boundary  having  culminated 
in  actual  hostilities,  he  stood  three  successive  drafts 
in  the  town  of  Sangerville,  where  he  had  been  at 
work  for  about  one  year.  Being  disappointed  in 
his  hopes  of  being  hit  by  the  draft,  he  was  fortu- 
nate in  finding  one  of  the  drafted  men  of  that  town, 
Mr.  Joseph  Parsley,  who  did  not  take  kindly  to  the 
exposures  and  dangers  of  the  war,  who  was  glad 
togive  him  the  magnificent  sum  of  twenty  dollars, 
all  in  cash  and  atone  payment,  to  take  his  place  in 
the  ranks,  and  leave  him  in  the  peaceful  enjoyment 
of  home,  secure  from  the  exposure  and  hardships, 
if  not  dangers,  of  a  frontier  war. 

With  the  other  drafted  men  he  was  immediately 


HISTORY   OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  327 

taken  to  Bangor,  where  their  number  was  made  up 
to  two  hundred  men.  In  two  clays  they  were  start- 
ed for  the  Aroostook,  under  the  command  of  Lieu- 
tenant Dunning,  their  destination  being  township 
Letter  D,  lying  on  the  boundary  line  between 
Maine  and  New  Brunswick,  which  is  now  the 
south  half  of  the  town  of  Fort  Fairfield. 

There  were  many  weary  days  of  travel  through 
damp  snow  before  they  arrived  at  Iloulton,  where 
they  were  allowed  to  remain  one  whole  day,  to 
receive  military  instructions.  One  day's  march 
from  Houlton  brought  them  to  the  end  of  the  road 
in  Monticello. 

From  Monticello  they  made  their  way  to  Presque 
Isle,  through  lumber  roads  where  they  could  be 
found,  and  cutting  temporal*}'  roads  the  rest  of  the 
way.  The  soldiers  who  were  sent  to  Fort  Fair- 
field before  this  detachment,  went  through  Patten 
and  struck  the  Aroostook  river  at  Masardis,  and 
came  down  the  river  on  the  ice. 

Presque  Isle  village  at  that  time  consisted  of  a 
sawmill  and  gristmill  combined,  a  small  log  house 
and  framed  barn  or  stable.  In  about  one  month 
after  leaving  Bangor  an  order  reached  them  to  dis- 
charge all  the  drafted  men,  and  secure  as  many  as 
chose  to  remain  as  volunteers,  at  one  dollar  per 
day.  A  large  majority  had  seen  quite  enough  of 
the  hardships  of  frontier  Hie,  and  gladly  availed 
themselves  of  the  opportunity  to  return  to  their 
homes. 


328  HISTORY    OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD. 

Mr.  Stevens  cast  his  lot  among  the  minority, 
and  became  actively  identified  with  the  work  of 
the  volunteer  force. 

Those  coming  under  the  first  and  second  drafts 
had  built  a  boom  across  the  Aroostook  river,  near 
the  head  of  what  was  then  known  as  Burtsell's 
island,  to  stop  the  pine  timber  that  had  been  cut 
that  winter. 

After  the  militia  was  disbanded,  the  volunteer 
force  built  a  large  blockhouse  on  Fort  Hill,  with  a 
heavy  stockade  around  it,  and  a  small  one  on  the 
site  where  Mr.  Arthur  Libby's  dwelling  house  now 
stands,  where  a  six  pound  brass  cannon  was 
mounted  with  grape  and  cannister  to  protect  the 
boom.  This  cannon  has  an  unwritten  history. 
How  it  afterwards  found  its  way  to  Fort  Kent,  and 
suddenly  and  mysteriously  turned  up  in  time  for  a 
4th  of  July  celebration  at  Fort  Fairfield  since  the 
late  war,  and  as  mysteriously  disappears,  only  to 
return  when  the  boys  decide  to  celebrate  some 
great  event,  are  amjng  the  mysteries  that  should 
not  be  revealed  in  the  lifetime  of  those  active  in 
the  exciting  times. 

The  entire  service  of  the  boom  was  confined  to 
stopping  timber  in  the  spring  of  1839,  and  that 
timber  was  nearly  all  used  in  building  the  above 
named  blockhouses.  While  it  is  possible  at  ex- 
treme  low  water  to  find  the  bottom  of  one  or  more 
piers,  it  would  be  impossible  to  determine  its  ex- 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  329 

act  location.  The  nearest  post  office  was  Houlton, 
and  David  Bubar  was  hired  by  the  volunteers  dur- 
ing the  summer  of  1839  to  carry  the  mail.  lie 
carried  the  mail  on  his  back,  and  made  the  trip 
once  in  two  weeks. 

The  most  of  thesummcr  of  1839  was  consumed 
in  constructing  a  road  from  the  Fort  to  Monticel- 
lo.  A  force  of  eight}'  men  was  divided  into  two 
crews,  and  alternate  sections  from  three  to  five 
miles  each  were  built  by  them.  Mr.  Stevens  had 
charge  of  one  of  these  crews  until  the  road  was 
completed  via  Presque  Isle  to  Monticello,  then  he 
was  employed  in  building  a  bridge  across  the 
stream  at  Monticello.  While  thus  engaged,  he 
was  ordered  to  00  to  Fort  Kent  and  take  charge 
ol  building  a  blockhouse  at  that  point,  together 
with  building  a  pier  in  Fish  river.  This  was  com- 
pleted in  the  winter  of  1839-40. 

His  position  while  employed  by  the  State  gave 
him  a  good  chance  to  become  acquainted  with  the 
country ,  and  lxl  to  his  deciding  to  make  a  farm 
near  the  centre  of  Letter  D  township.  lie  fol- 
lowed the  lot  line  for  one  and  one  half  miles  from 
the  State  road  into  an  unbroken  wilderness,  and 
took  two  beautiful  quarter  sections  of  land,  a  large 
part  of  which  is  now  embraced  in  the  valuable 
farms  of  Messrs.  James  R.  and  Reuben  Thurlough, 
in  the  Maple  Grove  settlement. 

In  1842,  five  acres  of  trees  were  felled,  and  the 


33°  HISTORY    OF    FOllT   FAIRFIELD. 

following  spring  the  land  was  cleared  and  put- 
in  to  crop.  In  1844  larger  improvements  had  been 
made  and  a  house  and  barn  had  been  erected  ; 
and  0:1  February  23,  1845,  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Dorcas  13.  Whitney,  daughter  of  William 
Whitney,  who  with  his  family  had  moved  into  this 
town  three  or  four  years  before. 

Mr.  Stevens  was  a  :vran  of  great  physical  force, 
Of  temperate  habits,  and  of  indomitable  will. 
Only  a  few  years  were  required  to  bring  out  of  the 
wilderness  a  beautiful,  well  cultivated  farm.  A 
part  from  the  north  side  had  been  sold  to  his 
brother  and  passed  into  other  hands,  and  in  1864 
he  sold  to  a  Mr.  Ilinkley  of  Bangor,  for  $2,000,  and 
with  his  wife  and  young  family  moved  on  to  a 
new  farm  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  original 
Letter  D  plantation.  Here  he  went  to  work  to 
make  a  larger  farm  and  to  add  to  this  a  valuable 
mill  property.  Finding  on  his  farm  and  land 
adjoining  a  large  amount  of  cedar  timber,  in 
1867  he  erected  a  steam  shingle  mill  and  at  once 
commenced  the  maufacturing  of  cedar  shingles. 
This  proved  a  very  successful  operation,  and  was 
carried  on  successfuMy  for  several  years. 

While  engaged  in  this  business,  in  July,  1867,  he 
met  with  a  sad  affliction  in  the  death  of  his  wife, 
leaving  him  with  a  family  of  nine  children, — five 
sons  and  four  daughters. 

With   his    growing   business    interests    and    this 


HISTORY   OF    FORT   FAIRFIELD.  33 1 

large  family,  an  early  marriage  beeame  almost  a 
necessity,  and  in  June,  1868,  he  was  united  for  the 
second  time  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  A.  Good- 
hue. 

Finding  his  milling  operations  so  successful,  and 
his  sons  disposed  to  remain  with  him  and  help  car- 
ry on  the  business,  he  began  to  look  for  a  more 
desirable  location.'  In  1879  he  succeeded  in  buy- 
ing a  most  desirable  farm  on  the  Aroostook  river, 
where  he  immediately  commenced  to  build  up  his 
present  extensive  and  valuable  mill  property.  In 
1875,  death  for  the  second  time  deprived  him  of 
his  wife,  and  again  his  home  is  made  complete  in 
his  marriage  to  Mrs.  Annabel  Hamm. 

In  1 88 1  he  sold  his  farm  and  first  mill  for  $5,000, 
and  since  that  time  has  been  constantly  and  suc- 
cessfully engaged  in  the  lumbering  and  milling 
business.  Here  the  foundation  was  laid  to  carry 
on  a  business  that  has  united  with  him  his  five 
sons  for  its  successful  management.  This  move- 
ment  called  for  a  large  increase  of  capital,  and  has 
culminated  in  the  building  up  of  one  of  the  finest 
and  most  valuable  properties  on  the  i\roostook 
river. 

THE  STEVENS  LUMBER  COMPANY. 

The  Stevens  lumber  company  was  incorporated 
in  1893.  The  property  embraced  in  this  company 
was  purchased  and  built  up  by  Hiram  Stevens  and 
company j  and  has    been    in    successful    operation 


332  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

nearly  eighteen  years,  and  consists  of  a  beautiful 
stretch  ofinterval"on  the  south  bank  of  the  Aroos- 
took river  nearly  one  and  one  half  miles  in  length, 
upon  which  is  located  their  mills  consisting  of 
six  shingle  machines,  one  clapboard  machine  and 
clapboard  planer,  one  "rotary"  saw  with  gang- 
edge,  a  lath  machine  and  board  planer,  all  com- 
plete for  first  class  work;  the*  power  is  a  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  horse  power  engine,  a  dam  at  the 
foot  of  an  island  and  boom  extending  up  the  river, 
lit  up  by  electric  lights  by  night  for  catching-  and 
sorting  lumber,  making  it  complete  for  a  first  class 
business.  In  connection  with  this  mill  there  are 
six  fine  residences  occupied  by  the  several  mem- 
bers of  the  firm,  a  large  boarding  house,  and 
several  houses  built  for  and  occupied  by  men  in 
their  employ,  with  all  neccessary  outbuilding  for 
storing  manufactured  lumber,  and  such  farm  build- 
ing and  stabling  as  their  business  and  the  stretch 
of  land  they  own  require,  making  it  one  of  the 
best  arranged,  best  located  and  most  desirable  pieces 
of  property  in  the  country.  In  addition  to  the 
home  property  the  company  own  a  large  mill  with 
one  of  the  best  water  powers  in  New  Brunswick, 
on  Salmon  river,  where  two  members  of  the  firm 
are  employed  the  most  of  the  time. 

The  Salmon  River  mills,  has  two  more  shingle 
saws,  but  in  other  respects  is  a  counterpart  of  the 
home  mill. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  333 

The  running  of  these  mills  gives  direet  em- 
ployment to  ninty-four  men,  and  in  addition  to 
these,  the  loading  of  cars,  the  handling  of  lumber 
in  the  boom,  and  all  other  work  that  necessarily 
becomes  a  part  of  the  business,  gives  employment 
for  other  help.  Through  the  winter  months  the 
securing  of  lumber  for  their  mills  gives  employ- 
ment to  at  least  three  hundred  men,  besides  many 
teams. 

That  part  of  the  property  in  this  town  embraces 
about  two  hundred  acres,  the  most  of  which  is  un- 
der cultivation. 

The  company  consists  of  Messrs.  Hiram  Stev- 
ens, Levi  W.  Stevens,  A.  E.  Stevens,  II.  D.  Stev- 
ens and  C.  H.  Stevens.  The  capital  stock  of  the 
company  is  $100,000,  of  which  $72,200  is  paid  up. 

Mr.  Levi  W.  Stevens  since  his  majority,  with 
the  exception  of  six  years,  has  remained  with  his 
father,  and  for  the  last  eighteen  years  has  been  in 
company  with  him  in  business,  and  now  has  the 
general  management  of  the  Stevensville  mills. 

James  S.  Stevens,  the  second  son,  has.  always 
been  with  his  father,  either  at  work  or  as  a  partner 
in  business,  and  has  the  general  management  of 
the  Salmon  River  mills. 

A.  E.  Stevens  is  in  the  store,  and  book-keeper 
and  secretary  for  the  company,  at  Stevensville. 

II.  D.  Stevens  occupies  a  line  residence  in  this 
village,  and  assists  in  a  general  oversight  of  their 
extensive  business  at  Stevensville. 


334  HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 

The  youngest  son  received  the  advantages  of  a 
liberal  education.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  Maine 
State  agricultural  college.  He  is  at  the  Salmon 
River  mills,  assisting  his  brother  in  their  manage- 
ment. 

All  live  of  these  successful  business  men  have 
wisely  chosen  the  marriage  relation,  and  have  de- 
lightful, happy  homes  and  interesting  families,  with 
every  assurance  that  in  the  future  as  at  present, 
they  will  till  a  large  place  in  the  social  and  busi- 
ness relations  of  our  town. 

With  schools  and  religious  meetings  established 
for  those  in  their  employ,  Stevensville  is  one  of  the 
most  orderly  and  happy  neighborhoods  to  be  found 
in  many  a  dav's  travel. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  .335 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

CAPTAIN    STEPHEN    B.    PATTEE. 

Stephen  Burbank  Pattee,  son  of  the  Rev.  John 
Pattee,  was  born  in  Holderness,  N.  II.,  February 
9th,  1 8 1 5 ;  when  about  twelve  years  old  he  was 
left  largely  to  depend  upon  himself.  For  a  time 
he  was  employed  on  a  schooner  making  regular 
trips  between  Bangor  and  Boston;  then  he  was 
employed  in  a  bakerv  and  confectioner y  establish- 
ment. 

In  1839  be  married  Miss  Philenia  Ward  Good- 
hue, and  soon  after  removed  to  Aroostook  county. 
For  a  short  time  he  was  in  business  in  Iloultoji,  in 
company  with  Timothy  Frisbee. 

March  17,  1839,  he  was  a  member  of  the  Ban- 
gor rifle  company,  and  under  Lieutenant  Colton 
reported  to  the  commanding  officer  for  dutv. 
From  the  hrst  his  ability  as  a  leader  was  recog- 
nized, and  for  his  entire  period  of  service  o"  near- 
ly a  year,  he  had  charge  of  men  and  was  entri  s':- 
ed  with  important  duties. 

In  command  at  the  upper  blockhouse,  upxi  ex- 


336  HISTORY    OF    FOBT    FAIRFIELD. 

ploring  expeditions,  and  as  deputy  sheriff,  his  du- 
ties were  discharged  faithfully,  prudently,  and  in  a 

fearless  manner. 

It  was  not  until  1843  that  we  became  personally 
acquainted  with  Captain  Pattee;  he  was  then  en- 
gaged in  business  at  what  was  then  known  as 
kkdown  to  Pattee's."  The  sawmill  was  in  opera- 
tion, and  he  and  Albion  P.  Haywood  had  formed 
a  eo-partnership  under  the  firm  name  of  Pattee 
and  Haywood.  He  was  then  laying  the  founda- 
tion upon  which  rested  the  wonderful  social  and 
political  influence  he  exercised  from  1845  to  1855. 

As  a  business  man,  he  was  not  only  accommo- 
dating but  generous  to  the  poor  settlers;  as  a  citi- 
zen he  was  social  and  affable;  as  a  politician  he 
was  an  indomitable  worker;  he  was  a  Whig  ev- 
ery day  in  the  year,  and  never  lost  sight  of  an  op- 
portunity to  win  men  to  his  way  of  thinking.  No 
man  in  Fort  Fairfield  was  appealed  to  more  fre- 
quently, and  from  none  the  poor  and  needy  went 
away  with  more  kind  words  and  material  aid.  It 
is  possible  that  his  business  might  have  been  more 
a  success,  if  business  principles,  and  not  charity, 
had  been  the  governing  rule.  For  all  the  vears  he 
was  in  Fort  Fairfield,  he  was  devoted  to  its  pros- 
perity, he  was  loyal  to  its  public  interests,  he  was 
looked  up  to  as  a  leader,  he  was  honored  ag^in 
and  again  by  elections,  and  appointed  to  offices,  all 
of  which  he  filled  with  honor  to  himself  and  the  ut- 
most satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  337 


In  addition  to  his  co-partnership  with  Mr.  Hay- 
wood, alter  Mr.  Haywood  removed  to  Iloulton, 
the  firm  name  became  Pattce  and  Hyde. 

HON.   JESSE    DREW. 

The  Drew  family  of  England  descend  from  an 
early  noble  Norman,  tracing  the  line  through  cen- 
turies. Members  of  the  family  accompanied  Wil- 
liam the  Conqueror  to  England,  participated  in  the 
memorable  battle  of  Hastings,  1060,  and  were 
granted  lands  in  Devon,  Hereford  and  elsewhere, 
enrolled  in  the  Doomsday  book.  According  to  a 
preamble  to  the  Drew  pedigree,  given  by  the  king 
of  Arms,  "the  ancient  and  knightly  family  of 
Drew  of  Devonshire  are  lineal  descendants  from 
Richard,  Duke  of  Normandy,  grandfather  of  Wil- 
liam the  Conqueror.  Sir  Edward  Drew  was  a  de- 
scendant of  this  line.  John  Drew,  the  grandfather 
of  Sir  Edward  Drew,  emigrated  to  Plymouth,  Mass., 
in  1 660."  Hon.  Jesse  Drew,  the  son  of  Stephen 
Drew,  a  descendent  of  John  Drew,  was  born  in 
Turner,  Maine,  September,  21st,  i8ocS,  where  he 
resided  during  his  carl}'  life.  He  was  married  in 
May,  1834,  to  Hannah  T.  Phillips  of  Turner,  and 
there  were  born  to  them  Hannah  G.,  deceased, 
Franklin  M.,  Delphina  M.,  deceased,  Anna  P.,  de- 
ceased, and  George  E.  She  died  at  Paris,  August 
27,  1852.  He  married  again  December  14th,  1S5 7, 
Clara  B.,  daughter  of  General  Joel  Wellington  of 
Monticello,  and  there  were  born  to  them  Gertrude, 


338  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


deceased,  and  Morrill  N.  •  His  second  wife  died 
at  Fort  Fairfield  Oct.  2d,  1897.  He  died  in  Lew- 
iston  at  the  residence  of  his  son.  Col.  Frank  M. 
Drew,  Aii gust  31st,  1890. 

For  nearly  a  half  century  he  was  a  prominent 
citizen.  For  many  years  he  was  a  deputy  sheriff 
in  the  town  of  Turner,  and  then  deputy  sheriff  and 
jailer  at  Paiis.  In  1853  he  received  an  appoint- 
ment in  the  land  office  and  moved  to  Letter  II, 
now  Caribou;  he  soon  formed  a  partnership  with 
Hon.  Washington  Long,  and  with  him  carried  on 
at  Letter  II,  and  subsequently  at  Fort  Fairfield, 
the  lumber  business,  until  the  appointment  of  Mr. 
Long  as  collector  of  customs  at  Eastport  in  1861. 
In  June,  1865,  he  was  appointed  deputy  collector 
of  customs  at  Fort  Fairfield,  and  continued  in  this 
office  for  sixteen  years.  lie  represented  the  Fort 
Fairfield  district  in  the  legislature  for  the  years 
1883-84.  This  service  concluded  his  public  career, 
extending  over  a  period  of  more  than  forty  years, 
and  it  can  be  truthfully  said,  "he  was  a  good  and 
faithful  servant;1'  he  was  pleasant,  efficient  and 
honest,  considerate  alike  of  the  duties  he  owed  the 
public  and  the  authority  which  he  served.  Polit- 
ically, Mr.  Drew  was  a  Democrat  until  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Republican  party,  which  he  then  joined, 
and  ever  alter  continued  to  support.  In  the  best 
sense  of  the  word  he  was  a  born  politician;  he 
loved   the    study    and    practice    of  politics,   not  so 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  339 

much  for  the  reward  in  the  acquisition  of  office,  as 
the  pleasure  and  gratification  it  afforded  his  enquir- 
ing mind,  and  the  opportunity  it  afforded  him  to 
promote  his  political  views  and  aid  his  friends. 
This  led  him  to  become  a  close  student  of  men 
and  measures,  and  few  men  better  understood  than 
he,  how  men  are  politically  influenced,  and  how 
more  skilfully  to  bring  to  pass  desired  ends.  I  lis 
fidelity  and  activity  in  the  support  of  his  friends 
gave  him  a  large  and  influential  acqaintance 
throughout  the  State.  lie  was  particularly  inter- 
ested in  the  welfare  and  promotion  of  young  men; 
and  to  his  kindly  suggestions  and  influence  not  a 
few  men  owe  their  early  political  success. 

Mr.  Drew  w.r,  a  public  spirited  mm;  hz  al- 
ways identifled  himself  with  the  place  in  which  he 
resided,  and  took  great  interest  in  its  growth  and 
prosperity.  He  was  very  much  attached  to  the 
town  of  Fort  Fairfield  and  its  inhabitants;  he  was, 
during  the  many  years  he  resided  there,  deeply  in- 
terested in  everything  that  promised  to  contribute 
to  the  growth,  prosperity  and  advancement  of  the 
village.  lie  was  active  in  inducing  the  New  Brims" 
wick  railway  company  to  extend  its  road  to  Fort 
Fairfield;  active  in  having  sidewalks  built,  and 
trees  set  out  to  adorn  the  streets,  and  for  many 
years  these  will  testify  to  his  public  spirit  and 
forethought. 

Mr.  Drew  had  a  legal  mind,  and  had  he  turned 


34°  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

to  the  law  in  his  earlier  years,  he  would  easily 
have  taken  rank  with  the  leading  lawyers  of  the 
State.  The  court  room  had  ever  great  attractions 
for  him,  and  his  judgment  and  wise  counsel  were 
constantly  sought  by  many  of  his  townspeople. 
For  one  of  so  great  knowledge  and  experience  of 
men,  Mr.  Drew  was  over  modest;  he  underesti- 
mated his  own  abilities,  and  hence  occupied  a  less 
prominent  position  in  the  State  than  his  natural  and 
acquired  capabilities  entitled  him  tx 

For  many  years  he  was  easily  the  most  prominent 
citizen  of  this  town,  and  far  and  wide  he  was  known 
as  "Uncle  Jesse" — the  term  being,  in  his  case,  a 
title  of  affection  and  respect,  fittingly  applied  and 
becomingly  won.  In  religious  belief  he  was  a 
Universalist,  and  was  loyal  to  his  denomination. 
The  universal  love  and  fatherhood  of  God  took 
hold  of  his  heart  and  showed  forth  in  his  pure  life 
and  sympathy  for  humanity,  and  his  deep  love  for 
his  friends  and  family.  lie  was  an  honorable  man  ; 
he  detested  low  cunning  and  artifice;  his  motiyes 
will  bear  the  full  light  of  mid-day;  he  was  charita- 
ble in  his  judgment  of  others'  acts  and  tolerant  of 
others'  opinions*  he  was  gentle,  simple  and  courte- 
ous in  manners;  he  was  sociable  and  agreeable, 
and  ioyed  the  company  of  the  young,  and  until  the 
last,  lived  in  the  present  instead  of  the  past.  His 
last  years  abounded  in  graceful  contentment  and 
•enjoyment;  although  his  sight  was  dimmed,  and  he 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  34 1 


was  deprived  of  the  privilege  of  reading  and  cor- 
respondence, which  had  been  a  great  pleasure  to 
him,  he  did  not  allow  the  darkness  to  cloud  his 
life.  lie  bravely  bore  the  infirmities  of  age,  and 
accepted,  uncomplainingly,  the  gradual  wearing 
away  of  his  bodily  strength,  until  at  last,  at  the 
ripe  age  of  more  than  fourscore  years,  never  more 
loved  and  respected,  in  the  home  of  his  son,  as 
he  wished  it,  his  Hie  work  ended  and  all  its  happi- 
ness enjoyed,  t!i2  final  samiixrs  cam 2  to  him, 
and  "death  smiled  upon  him,  as  smiles  silent  and 
peaceful  night  upon  the  exhausted  laborer. '' 

THE    HAINES    FAMILY. 

Joseph  Wingate  Haines  was  born  in  Hallo  well, 
Maine,  in  1804,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Haines 
family  of  Kennebec  and  Oxford  counties,  and  a 
first  cousin  of  Hon.  George  Evans. 

In  1828  he  married  Miss  Mary  Briggs  of  Win- 
throp.  In  1847  he  moved  to  "the  Aroostook"  with 
his  family  of  twelve  children ;  two(apair  of  twins) 
were  born  after  they  came  here.  He  bought  of 
Freeman  Ellis,  Jr.,  the  land  from  which  he  made 
the  celebrated  Haines  farm  in  Maple  Grove.  He 
obtained  a  grant  of  land  from  the  State  and  built  a 
mill  where  the  Bryant  mill  now  stands,  that  was  of 
great  benefit  to  the  early  settlers,  he  having 
the  means  to  employ  considerable  help;  he 
b:\r.ight  valuable  improve:!  stock  into  the  coantv, 
and  was  an  enterprising,  progressive  farmer,  and  a 


34-  HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIEJLD. 

. rjt 

member  of  the  agricultural  society,  of  which  he 
was  a* successful  and  efficient  president;  he  was  al- 
so a  successful  and  popular  member  of  the  State 
board  of  agriculture,  Dying  in  1876,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-two  years,  he  left  a  large  family,  which 
lias  occupied  too  large  a  place  in  Fort  Fairfield  to 
receive  a  passing  notice. 

Lydia  E.,  the  eldest  of  tlu  family,  at  the  ag2 
of  twenty,  married  Caleb  Ellis.  She  had  made 
the  best  possible  use  of  her  opportunities  to  se- 
cure an  education,  and  was  a  successful  school 
teacher.  She  filled  the  position  as  the  wife  of  an 
itinerant  Methodist  minister,  both  in  the  East  Maine, 
and  Michigan  conferences.  She  loyally  followed 
her  husband  to  the  south,  and  cared  for  him  in  his 
sickness.  She  was  a  true  wife  and  mother,  de- 
voted tohcr  family  .and  friends.  She  died  in  Ellis- 
ville,  South  Dakota,  July  7th,  1886,  and  was  laid 
beside  two  of  her  children,  who  had  irone  before, 
in  the  Liberty  cemetery  in  Michigan. 

Abigail,  th^  second  child,  left  h;raij  in  her 
early  womanhood,  and  went  to  Massachusetts. 
She  subsequently  married.  She  has  been  dead  for 
several  years. 

Henry  A.  was  born  in  Hallowell,  Maine,  ia 
1833.  In  1854  he  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Mary  Frances  Knight,  and  to  them  were  born 
three  children,  Mrs.  Adda  May  -Richardson,  in 
Pennsylvania,   William    A.,  proprietor  of  the  saw 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD. 


343 


and  gristmill  in  this  village,  and  Ida   B.,  who  makes 
her  home  with  her  mother. 

Mr.  Haines  was  largely  engaged  in  the  mill  busi- 
ness, and  in  1865,  he  bought  the  sawmill  at  the 
lower  village.  In  1882,  in  company  with  his  son 
William  A.,  he  bought  the  mill  privilege  and  re- 
built the  gristmill,  where  he  was  actively  engaged 
until  the  time  of  his  death,  in  March,  1889.  He  suc- 
ceeded in  building  up  a  good  property,  and  lived 
and  died  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 

George  W»,  soon  alter  his  majority,  bought  fifty 
acres  from  the  home  farm,  and  married  a  wife.  To 
them  were  born  two  children;  one  died  in  his  early 
manhood,  the  other  married  Mr.  I.  II.  Kipp,  and  is 
now  living  en  the  old  homestead,  where  she  was 
born,  Mr.  Haines  making  his  home  with  his  daugh- 
ter and  son  in  law.  He  was  for  many  years  the- 
Maple  Grove  postmaster,  has  tilled  several  town 
offices,  and  is  a  res  pee  ted  citizen, 

Mary,  the  third  daughter,  married  Augustus 
Raekliff,  and  died  in  her  early  womanhood. 

John  W.  has  been  a  hard  working,  incrstrioi  s 
and  prosperous  farmer.  Death  has  again  and  again 
visited  his  home;  he  is  now  living  with  his  third 
wile,  upon  his  farm  on  the  north  side  of  the  river. 
Mr.  Haines  has  always  retained  his  rcsider.ee  in 
this  town. 

Daniel  W.  Haines  scon  after  his  majority  enlist- 
ed in  the  1st  Maine  cavalry.     lie  was  a  n:cct  c:;- 


344 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD, 


celleht  soldier,  and  able  to  do  almost  uninterrupt- 
ed duty.  lie  eame  home  with  health  impaired,  and 
a  few  years  closed  his  earthly  career. 

Nancy,  the  fourth  daughter,  married  Warren  C 
Plummer.  Tie  was  an  officer  in  the  15th  Maine 
regiment.  They  went  to  Pennsylvania,  where  she 
died,  leaving  two  daughters. 

Albert  L.  was  also  in  the  1st  Maine  cavalry;  he 
was  wounded,  his  horse  killed,  and  he  was  taken 
prisoner  at  Brandy  wine  Station  in  1863.  After 
three  weeks  he  was  paroled,  and  after  several 
months  he  was  exchanged;  he  then  joined  his  regi- 
ment and  served  to  the  end  of  the  war.  In  1847 
he  married  Miss  Mary  L.,  daughter  of  Henry  C. 
and  Mary  Currier.  In  1874  he  bought  of  his  fa- 
ther the  celebrated  Haines  farm  in  Maple  Grove, 
where  he  has  resided  until  the  present  time.  I  lis 
daughters  are  both  married;  the  oldest  to  Mr.  Em- 
mons W.  Houghton,  and  the  other  to  Mr.  II.  D. 
Stevens,  and  have  tine  homes  in  this  town.  Mr. 
Haines  is  a  successful  farmer,  a  respected  citizen, 
an  active  member  of  the  agricultural  societv,  ai  d 
has  been  a  member  of  the  State  board  of  agricul- 
ture, and  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Bodwell  to  the 
farmers'  national  congress  at  Chicago  in  1886. 

Frank  II.  was  born  in  Ilallowell  in  1844,  and  in 
1867  was  married  to  Olive,  daughter  of  Henry  C 
and  Man*  Currier  of  Fort  Fairfield.  To  them  have 
been  born  three1  children,  two  sons  and  a  daughter. 


history  of  Foirr  Fairfield.  345 


Six  years  ago  death  came,  taking  the  eldest  son,  at 
the  age  of  sixteen.  The  other  son  and  daughter, 
together  with  his  invalid  wife,  mike  up  his  family. 
I  lis  beautiful  and  attractive  home  is  opposite  the 
Grange  hall,  in  the  centre./)!'  this  town.  Mr.  Haines 
is  in  the  front  rank  of  successful  farmers,  and  in 
the  possession  of  a  valuable  farm  property  and  the 
enjoyment  of  the  fruits  of  his  toil  and  good  man- 
agement. 

About  one  half  mile  south  of  his  twin  brother 
Frank,  may  be  found  the  home  of  Fred  Haines. 
At  the  age  of  twenty,  with  two  brothers  in  the 
army,  when  a  married  brother  was  hit  by  the  draft 
he  freely  took  his  place. 

I  lis  first  business  venture  was  to  buy  the  farm 
he  is  now  on.  For  a  time  he  wras  in  the  milling 
business. 

In  1872  his  wife  and  children  were  removed  by 
death.  In  1875  he  married  Miss  Emma  Thurlough. 
lie  is  in  possession  of  all  that  makes  up  a  happy, 
prosperous,  and  successful  farm  home.  lie  has 
invented  a  valuable  piece  of  farm  machinery,  and 
is  a  reliable,  independent  farmer  who  has  made 
life  a  success. 

Marcella  Haines  died  when  about  ten  years  old. 
Theodore  I).  Haines,  after  his  majority  went  to 
Michigan,  and  then  to  Pennsylvania  where  he  died 
several  years  ago. 

Isadore  D.  Haines  is  unmarried  and  engaged  in 
missionary  work  in  the  foreign  fields. 


34^  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

WILLIAM  JOHNSTON,     KSQ^. 

The  parents  of  William  Johnston  removed  in 
his  carl}?  childhood  from  Maine  on  to  the  St.  John 
river  a  few  miles  above  Frcdcricton.  Here  he 
lived  with  his  parents,  enjoying  siich  privileges  as 
the  new  country  afforded,  until  he  became  of  age. 
Soon  after  his  majority  he  went  on  to  the  Mira- 
michi  waters  and  engaged  in  lumbering.  While 
there  he  became  acquainted  with  Sarah  Sutherland, 
and  soon  after  they  were  married.  Not  being 
satisfied  with  the  country  he  decided  to  return  to 
the  land  of  his  nativity,  of  which  he  knew  nothing 
save  what  his  parents  had  told  him.  Alter  visiting 
his  parents  on  the  St.  John  river,  he  decided, 
accompanied  by  his  wife  and  a  friend,  to  make  the 
trip  by  water.  A  boat  was  bought  of  a  size  that 
two  men  could  carry  over  the  portages,  and  around 
the  falls.  Having  it  hauled  to  the  Schoodic  waters, 
they  embarked  ;  following  the  chain  of  lakes,  cross- 
ing to  the  Bascanhegiin,  down  the  Mattawamkeag, 
up  the  west  branch  of  the  Penobscot,  carrying  it 
across  into  Moosehcad  lake,  then  down  the  Ken- 
nebec to  the  mouth  of  the  Sandy  river.  Here  he 
located  a  home,  and  for  nearly  fifteen  years  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  in  buying  and  driving  work- 
ing oxen  from  the  Kennebec  to  Miramiehi.  In 
1830  he  exchanged  his  farm  for  property  in  Wood- 
stock, and  some  rive  years  later  sold  and  removed 
on  to  the  Aroostook  river,  and  selected  a  location 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  347 

on  the  south  side  of  the  river  near  the  head  of  the 
Reach.  Before  1839  he  had  cut  a  road  from  his 
plaee  to  the  mouth  of  the  Lovely  brook,  and  in  that 
year,  upon  the  arrival  of  the  land  agent  and  the 
posse,  he  was  probably  the  only  man  on  the  lower 
Aroostook,  who  had  any  sympathy  witii  the  Ameri- 
can government.  As  soon  as  formal  possession 
was  taken  and  a  military  post  was  established,  he 
promptly  exchanged  his  property  with  Jacob  Weeks 
and  secured  the  river  front,  from  a  short  distance 
above  the  Canadian  Pacific  depot  to  the  Gellerson 
corner.  His  house  was  located  nearly  where  Trips. 
Fisher's  residence  now  stands.  He  at  once  opened 
a  public  house,  and  this  was  the  only  public  house 
in  this  township  for  several  years. 

He  was  a  man  calculated  to  make  warm  person- 
al friends,  and  although  he  kept  a  public  house,  it 
was  often  turned  into  a  charity  hospital;  while 
those  who  were  able  were  expected  to  pay  their 
way,  his  door  was  never  closed  against  those  who 
were  without  money  or  in  distress.  Mr.  Johnston 
was  at  an  early  day  appointed  justice  of  the  peace. 
I  lis  business  in  this  line,  however,  was  mostly  con- 
fined to  the  occasional  marrying  of  a  couple;  what 
few  disputes  that  did  occur  were  mostly  amicably 
settled,  and  the  others  by  a  knockdown  argument, 
without  justice,  judge  or  juror. 

Alter  many  changes  had  come  and  the  infirmi- 
ties of  old  age  were  taking  hold  upon  him,  he  sold 


348  HISTORY   OF   FOltT   FAIRFIELD. 

his  home  and  lived  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  M.  A. 
Eastman.  In  i860,  his  estimable  wife  sickened 
and  died,  and  in  November,  1864,  the  eall  came  and 
he  passed  over  to  join  those  who  had  gone  on  be- 
fore. William  and  Sarah  Johnston  were  in  the 
strictest  sense  pioneer  settlers,  both  upon  the  Ken- 
nebec  and  Aroostook  rivers,  experiencing  a  full 
share  of  the  hardships  and  privations  known  and 
realized  in  such  a  life. 

To  them  were  born  nine  children:  one  died  in 
infancy,  Charles  W.  Johnston  in  his  early  manhood, 
and  Eliza  Burpee  at  her  home  in  Grand  Falls,  X. 
B.,  leaving  a  husband  and  a  grown  up  son  and  two 
daughters.  There  are  now  living  in  Fort  Fairfield 
the  six  remaining  children,  viz:  Warren  A.,  Mrs. 
Mary  Waite,  now  living  with  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Sarah  J.  Libby, — Mrs.  Frances  E.  Ellis,  Mrs.  S. 
Caroline  Estabrook,  Mrs.  A.  C.  Paul  and  Mrs. 
Margaret  A.  Eastman. 

GEN.    MARK    TRAFTON. 

Among  those  identified  with  the  early  settle- 
ment of  Northern  Aroostook,  was  Gen.  Mark  Trai- 
ton,  who  came  from  Bangor  to  Fort  Fairfield  in  the 
summer  of  1843.  Gen.  Trafton  had  been  a  person 
ol  prominence  in  the  State  before  that  time.  Tak- 
ing up  his  residence  in  Bangor  when  very  young, 
he  was  at  once  engaged  in  active  business,  and  filled 
many  important  official  stations,  lie  was  captain 
of  a  company  of  cavalry   in   active   service  in  the 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  349 

war  of  181 2,  and  shortly  alter  the  war  was  made  a 
brigadier-general;  he  represented  his  district  in 
the  general  court  in  Boston,  before  the  separation 
from  Massaschusetts,  and  afterwards  in  the  State 
legislature;  he  aeted  as  land  agent  for  the  eastern 
and  northern  section  of  the  State  before  the  office 
was  regularly  established  at  Bangor;  he  was  also 
postmaster  at  Bangor  from  1828  to  1(840.  and  at  the 
time  of  his  appointment  to  the  Fort  Fairfield  cus- 
tom  house,  was  a  member  of  the  city  government 
at  Bangor.  As  the  United  States  troops  were  re- 
moved at  the  time  of  his  appointment  as  custom 
house  officer,  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  gov- 
ernment property  at  this  place,  and  also  intrusted 
with  other  important  duties  by  tile  land  agent.  lie 
seemed  to  have  discharged  the  various  duties  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  government,  and  the  people 
as  well,  for  he  was  sent  as  a  representative  to  the 
legislature  from  the  Fort  Fairfield  district,  which 
then  included  all  Northern  Aroostook,  after  a 
change  in  the  national  administration  had  relieved 
him  from  his  duties  as  collector. 

From  the  first  Gen.  Trafton  was  strongly  im- 
pressed with  the  agricultural  possibilities  of  Aroos- 
took, and  had  great  faith  in  its  future.  How  well 
that  faith  lias  been  justified,  our  present  flourishing 
community  well  attests. 

He  was  instrumental  in  starting  the  first  -settle- 
ment in  thr  then  n'ildenu-ss  township  of  Fetter  E, 


35° 


HISTORY  0?  FOliT  FAIRFIIUJ), 


now  Limestone,  furnishing  the  capital  to  build  the 
first  mills,  and  in  connection  with  B.  D.  E.istman, 
who  was  afterwards  joined  by  G.  A.  Nourse,  car- 
ried on  an  extensive  business  for  some  years,  and 
laid  the  foundation  for  the  present  flourishing  vil- 
lage and  town  of  Limestone. 

When  the  infirmities  of  age  precluded  labor,  the 
general  returned  to  Bangor,  where  he  died  in  1857, 
and  was  buried  in  the  family  lot  at  Mount  Hope, 
with  military  and  masonic  honors. 

He  held  a  warm  place  in  the  hearts  of  all  the 
first  settlers  of  the  town.  Man}:  of  them  remem- 
bered with  gratitude,  his  words  of  encouragement, 
and  his  substantial  aid  in  tiding  over  a  hard  place. 
DANIEL    LIBBY,    ESC^. 

Among  the  pioneers  in  Aro;;st  >ok,  the  name  of 
Daniel  Libbv  should  have  a  permanent  place.  lie 
was  born  in  Winslow,  Me.,  March  25th.  1805,  and 
at  the  age  of  twenty-four  removed  to  Iloulton;  af- 
ter remaining  there  ten  years,  in  1843  he  came 
to  Fort  Fairfield,  and  here  both  Mr.  Libbv  and  his 
family  made  manv  lifelong  friends.  In  1847  he  de- 
cided to  remove  to  Bradford.  Maria,  the  eld- 
est daughter,  had  married  Mark  Trafton  ef 
Limestone,  and  other  members  of  the  family  had 
formed  associations  that  were  in  the  future  to  identi- 
fy them  with  our  county.  Mr.  Libbv  onlv  re- 
mained a  short  time  in  Bradford,  and  then  removed 
to    Limestone,   where   the  remainder   of   his   clays 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  35  I 

were  spent.  He  was  a  respected  and  influential 
citizen.  Twice  he  was  elected  to  serve  the  people 
of  his  district  in  the  State  legislature;  time  after 
time  he  was  elected  to  town  offices,  and  for  many 
years  was  postmaster  of  Limestone. 

Mr.  Libby  went  on  through  life  making  friends, 
because  he  was  friendly.  He  was  a  useful,  worthy 
and  reliable  citizen, respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 

He  died  at  the  residence  of  his  son,  Amos  B. 
Libby  in   Fort  Fairfield,   October   3d,  1868. 

He  married  twice,  and  was  the  father  of  twelve 
children.  I  lis  daughters  married  well,  and  his 
sons  proved  worthy  and  respected  citizens;  one  of 
them,  Mr.  Amos  B.  Libby,  was  born  while  he  was 
making  his  home  in  Fort  Fairfield,  March  4th,  1846. 
When  about  eighteen  years  of  age  he  entered  the 
store  of  Hon.  Isaac  Hacker  as  clerk.  Here  he  re- 
mained for  nine  years,  faithful  and  in  the  full  con- 
fidence oi"  his  employers.  Then  he  became  a  part- 
ner in  the  business  with  Mr.  J.  F.  Hacker,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Hacker  and  Libby.  In  1873  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  J.  Waite;  this  union 
was  a  happy  one,  he  proving  a  kind  and  loving 
husband  and  father,  a  good  cititzen  and  an  upright 
and  honorable  man.  All  who  came  in  contact 
with  him  felt  the  influence  of  his  pure  and  noble 
character.  After  eighteen  months  oi*  gradually 
failing  health,  on  the  5  th  day  of  June,  1887,  he  went 
to  join  children,  father,  mother  and  friends  who  had 


35* 


HISTORY    OF    FOIt'f    FAIRFIELD. 


gone  before,  leaving  a  widow  and  three  loving  chil- 
dren, two  daughters  and  a  son,  Jerre,  who  is  prov- 
ing a  great  comfort  and  blessing  to  hii  mother  and 
sisters.  He  graduated  from  the  Fort  Fairfield  high' 
school  in  1891,  and  is  now  pursuing  a  collegiate 
c  )urse  in  Bjwdom  college,  with  every  prospect  of 
a  happy?  prosperous  and  .inilueiitialfuture  before 
him. 

THE    PARSONS    FAMILY. 

Levi  Parsons,  yo ang^f    child  of  John  Pars 3ns 

and  Poll}'  Parsons,  was  born  in  Canton,  Me.,  Dec. 
25th,  18-23.  ^'J  w:ls  t^*iv<~'n  the  name  of  his  uncle, 
his  father's  ^brother,  Levi  Parsons,  who  was  a  prom- 
inent clergyman  and  revivalist,  in  the  state  of  New 
.Hampshire.  CXie  of  'the  early  histories  of  New 
Hampshire  spoke  of  this  clergyman  as  a  leading* 
divine  of  th j  .stite  and  a  great  preacher.  lis  is 
undoubtedly  the  same  divine  to  whom  ex-Vice 
President  Morton's  mother  was  related,  as  the  bi- 
ography of  Mr.  Morton  says  that  he  was  named 
Levi  Parsons  Morton  for  his  mother's  brother,  a 
former  eminent  clergyman  of  New  Hampshire. 
This  branch  of  the  fatuity  of  Parsons  came  from 
England  in  the  carl}*  (Jays  of  the  colonies,  settled 
in  New  Hampshire  and  extended  into  Massachus- 
etts and  New  York,  while  a  portion  came  to  the 
then  province  of  Maine. 

Jo!)  1  Parsons  was  born  in  New  Hampshire,  but 
sp_\itthe  early  part  of  his  life  in  Cambridge.  Mass., 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  -^ 


when  he  c  a  file  to  Oxford  county  in  this  state;  here 
lie  married  Polly  Hanniford.  To  them  were  born 
ten  children,  Levi  Parsons,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  being  the  youngest 

Levi's  parents,  when  he  was  a  small  boy,  moved 
from  Oxford  to  Sangcrville,  Piscataquis  count)', 
where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  in  Sangcrville  and  Foxcroft,  complet- 
ing his  education  at  Foxcroft  academy.  lie  was  a 
classmate  of  the  late  Hon.  A.  G.  Lebroke  of  Fox- 
croft, who  remembered  him  well  as  a  brilliant 
young  man  of  fine  intellect,  noble  character,  ambi- 
tions, and  a  leader  in  all  his  classes.  Tims  posses- 
sing a  liberal  education  for  those  days,  which  he 
continually  added  to  in  after  life,  he  had  at  his 
command  a  rare  fund  cf  information  rpen  nearly 
all  subjects  of  importance.  His  interest  in  educa- 
tional matters  proved  of  great  value  to  his  family 
of  children  when  he  settled  in  a  new  neighborhood 
remote  front  schools. 

While  young  Levi  was  finishing  his  education  in 
Foxcroft,  the  spirit  of  migration  was  taking  some 
of  the  older  citizens  of  his  neighborhood  to  the  new 
settlement  in  the  northern  part  of  the  State,  called 
Fort  Fairfield.  Among  these  was  Freeman  Ellis, 
the  miller  at  Sargerville  village,  or  Carleton's 
Mills,  as  it  was  then  called.  Mr.  Ellis,  also  of  Pu- 
ritanical stock,  being^a  descendant  of  Governor 
Bradford  and  Dr.  Fuller  of  thc.Plvmoiith  colony* 


354  HISTORY    OF    FOItT    FAIRFIELD. 

possessing  something  of  the  spirit  of  adventure  and 
pluck  of  his  early  ancestors,  started  with  his  fam- 
ily, a  pioneer,  into  the  wilderness  of  northern 
Maine,  making  a  "clearing''  at  Maple  Grove,  in 
the  present  thriving  town  of  Fort  Fairfield.  Pre- 
vious to  Mr.  Ellis  leaving  Sangerville,  however, 
Levi  had  become  acquainted  with  the  millers 
daughter,  Lvdia,  a  brilliant  young  lady  of  fine  char- 
acter and  personal  charms.  Lydia  set  about  her 
work  with  zeal  in  the  new  country,  laboring  to 
make  pioneer  life  more  like  that  of  the  older  town 
from  which  she  had  gone,  and  collecting  the  set- 
tlers' children,  taught  the  first  school  ever  held  on 
what  was  called  the  ^center  road*'  in  Fort  Fairfield. 
Her  pioneer  work  was  comparatively  short,  as  Le- 
vi followed  in  a  few  years,  and,  renewing  his  ac- 
quaintance, they  were  married  in  Fort  Fairfield, 
June  7th,  1848.  They  then  took  their  long,  diffi- 
cult journey  back  to  Sangerville.  Here  they  re- 
sided until  i860,  when  thev  moved  with  their  fam- 
ily  of  four  boys  to  Fort  Fairfield,  to  establish  a  per- 
manent home  in  the  Aroostook  valley.  He  soon 
found  a  desirable  location  on  a  new  farm  in  the  ad- 
joining plantation,  now  Easton,  on  the  stage  route 
from  Fort  Fairfield  to  Houlton. 

Here  the  remainder  of  his  days  were  spent,  on 
the  farm  in  Easton.  A  first-class  mechanic,  he 
worked  in  his  carpenter  shop  when  not  engaged 
on  the  farm,  thus  giving  his  boys  the  advantage  of 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  355 

a  trade  which  they  used  to  good  effect  in  starting 
in  life.  An  inveterate  worker,  he  was  farmer  or 
carpenter  during  the  day,  and  teacher  for  his  chil- 
dren in  the  long  winter  evenings,  until  they  were 
large  enough  to  go  away  to  school,  when  he  would 
sacrifice  everything  to  keep  them  there,  caring  less 
for  accumulating  property  than  for  giving  his  chil- 
dren an  education  and  proper  training  for  the  bus- 
iness of  life.  Neither  did  he  neglect  their  spiritu- 
al training.  A  devout  Christian  himself,  he  sur- 
rounded his  family  with  religious  influence,  and 
long  before  the  new  settlement  could  boast  of  a 
school  house,  religious  services  were  frequently 
held  at  his  house  on  the  Sabbath  day. 

Always  courteous  and  thoughtful  of  the  welfare 
of  others,  he  was  a  good  neighbor,  kind  husband 
and  devoted  father.  As  a  citizen  he  was  always 
right  on  all  moral  questions,  and  his  influence  felt 
where  he  resided.  Not  possessing  a  strong  con- 
stitution, however,  clearing  the  forest  and  making 
a  new  farm  proved  too  much  for  him  physically, 
and  becoming  broken  down  in  health  he  died  at 
his  home  in  Easton,  March  1st,  1S90.  He  died  as 
he  had  lived,  in  the  faith,  and  all  felt  at  his  death 
that  a  good  man  had  passed  away.  I^specially  do 
his  children  remember  his  tireless  energy  in  instill- 
ing into  their  young  minds  moral  and  religious  les- 
sons,  and  the  possibilities  of  the  future;  the  long 
winter  evening  lessons  of  both  father  and  mother 


35^  HISTORY    OF    FORT   TAIRFIELD. 

between  the  long  intervals  of  schooling  in  that  pi- 
oneer country  are  remembered  with  deepest  grati- 
tude. Such  men  and  women  at  the  heads  of  fam- 
ilies go  far  to  make  us  as  apeople  what  we  arc — self- 
reliant,  energetic,  and  in  many  respects  the  noblest 
nation  upon  earth. 

The  children  of  Levi  and  Lvdia  Parsons  were, 
Levi  Lcndall  Parsons,  born  at  Sangerville,  Maine, 
January  14th,  1850.  lie  married  Miss  Lottie 
Parsons  of  Easton,  Maine,  September  nth,  1S70. 
She  died  at  Houlton,  Maine,  November  9th, 
1870,  and  he  married  Laura  St.  Clair  at  Bath,  Maine, 
May  2  2d,  1874.  lie  has  been  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful master  builders  and  mechanics  in  New 
England,  and  has  also  been  engaged  in  the  whole- 
sale and  retail  lumber  business,  and  is  now  largely 
interested  as  an  owner  and  officer  in  an  important 
electric  company.  He  resides  in  Boston,  and  is  a 
prominent  business  man  in  that  city. 

Freeman  Kendall  Parsons,  born  at  Sangerville, 
Me.,  May  17,  1 85 1 ,  died  at  Easton,  September  10, 
1864. 

Willis  Ellis  Parsons,  born  at  Sangerville,  May 
1 6th,  1853,  was  married  to  Miss  Agnes  Gil  man, 
youngest  daughter  of  R.  D.  Oilman,  Esq.,  of  Fox- 
croft,  Me.,  October  23,  1890.  lie  is  now  a  prom- 
inent lawyer  of  the  State,  practicing  at  Foxcroft, 
where  he  resides.  A  brief  sketch  of  his  life  is  giv- 
en elsewhere  in  this  book.    ' 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  357 

John  Wilbur  Parsons,  born  at  Sangerville  De- 
cember 9th,  1854,  married  Miss  Annie  Burleigh  at 
Cliftondale,  Mass.,  June  15th,  1892.  They  now  re- 
side at  Cliftondale,  where  lie  is  successfully  en- 
gaged in  the  retail  lumber  business.  lie  is  also  a 
very  superior  mechanic. 

Clarence  Vanderlyn  Parsons,  born  at  Sangerville 
January  18,  1857,  was  educated  for  the  ministry, 
completing  his  education  at  the  theological  semin- 
ary at  Stanibrdvillc,  on  the  Hudson.  He  is  a  suc- 
cessful, growing  preacher,  and  a  young  man  of  abil- 
ity, lie  married  Lula  E.  Northrop,  at  Lakeville, 
N.  Y.j  February,  1883.  Their  children  are  Verna 
Agnes  and  Leon  L.  Parsons.  He  is  now  located 
at  Lubec  in  this  state. 

Lizzie  C  Parsons,  born  at  Fort  Fairfield,  July  7, 
1861,  married  Frank  De  Lai  te,  January  2d,  1879,  at 
Easton,  Me.  They  now  reside  at  Cliftondale,  near 
Boston,  Mass.,  and  she  is  the  happy  mother  of  two 
bright  children,  Willis  Ellis  Delaite,  born  at  Eas- 
ton November  6th,  1880,  and  Maude  Angela,  born 
December  9th,  1883. 

Leslie  E.  Parsons,  born  at  Easton  June  16,  1866, 
the  youngest  in  the  f  unity,  is  now  engaged  suc- 
cessfully in  business  for  himself,  also  at  Clifton- 
dale, lie  being  last,  bu":  not  least,  in  a  family  which 
remains  true  to  its  early  teachings  and  represents 
i:i  its  members  nobility  of  character,  temperance 
a  r.l  sobrictv*      Here  Lvdia  Ellis   Parsons,  widow 


358  HISTORY  OF  FOfiT  FAIRFIELD. 

of  Levi  Parsons,  at  present  makes  her  home,  hap- 
py in  being  surrounded  by  her  children,  her  fami- 
ly, reared  in  Northern  Aooostook  with  such  care, 
motherly  anxiety  and  prayerful  tenderness,  prov- 
ing in  return  a  blessing  in  her  declining  years. 

C'AI'T.    ELBRIDGE  W.    WAITE. 

Mr.  Elbridgc  AV.  Waite  was  born  in  Peru,  Ox- 
ford county,  Me.,  October  2 2d,  181 5,  of  an  ances- 
try dating  back  to  the  fifteenth  century.  They  were 
identified  with  the  early  history  of  our  country,  tak- 
ing part  in  the  Revolutionary  war  and  the  war  of 
181 2  and  1 814,  and  one  of  them  was  captain  of  one 
of  the  transports,  and  aided  in  the  capture  of  Que- 
bec in  1759. 

At  about  twenty  years  of  age  he  went  to  Win- 
throp,  Me.,  to  learn  a  trade;  while  there  he  was 
chosen  captain  of  a  military  company.  At  the  time 
of  the  call  for  troops  to  defend  the  disputed  terri- 
tory, he  came  to  this  county. 

In  1843  he  married  Mary,  eldest  daughter  of 
William  Johnston,  Esq.,  and  with  his  brother  in 
law,  Almon  vS.  Richards,  built  a  double  tenement 
house,  which  he  occupied  as  a  home  until  the  time 
of  his  death.  It  is  now  occupied  by  Messrs.  Caleb 
Bartlett  and  Geo.  McXalley. 

To  them  were  born  seven  children,  four  of  whom 
are  now  Hying:  Almj.i  W.  of  Portland,  Stephen 
P.  of  Andover,  N.  B.,  Sarah  J.  (Mrs.  Libby)  of  this 
yillage,  and  Cassius  I.  Waitc  of  Tacoma,  Washing- 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  359 

ton.  Mr.  Waite  was  an  industrious,  reliable  and 
worthy  citizen.  lie  was  earnest  in  all  works  to 
elevate  and  improve  society,  and  an  active  and  in- 
fluential temperance  leader.  His  influence  was 
felt  in  improving  and  moulding  society. 

For  some  time  his  health  had  been  failing,  and 
in  June,  1866,  the  end  came.  A  well  spent,  suc- 
cessful Hie  work  was  ended,  and  mourning  friends 
stood  around  all  that  was  mortal  of  a  kind  husband 
and  father,  a  worthy  and  devoted  citizen,  and  a  true 
friend. 

ALMOX    S.    RICHARDS. 

Almon  S.  Richards  was  born  in  Lincolnville, 
Me.,  October  28th,  181 7,  atfd  died  at  his  home  in 
Maple  Grove  (Fort  Fairfield)  June  30,  1884. 

Mr.  Richards  remained  at  home  with  his  parents, 
working  on  the  farm  and  improving  every  oppor- 
tunity within  his  reach  to  secure  an  education,  un- 
til he  was  of  age.  Only  a  few  months  after  his 
majority  the  dispute  about  the  northeastern  boun- 
dary culminated  in  a  call  for  soldiers  to  drive  off 
the  trespassers  and  take  formal  posession  of  the 
Aroostook  country.  Not  drawing  a  ticket  in  the 
first  draft,  he  did  not  wait  for  a  second,  but  prompt- 
ly took  the  place  of  a  drafted  man,  and  was  among 
the  first  to  arrive  upon  the  scene  of  action. 

In  July,  1844,  he  was  married  to  Frances  E. 
Johnston,  daughter  of  William  Johnston,  Esq.,  who 
hail  .moved  from  Keauehec  county  to  the  Aroostook 


360  HISTORY    Qlr    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

river  several  years  before.  To  them  were  bern 
eight  children:  Mrs.  Mary  Hilton,  Mrs.  Carrie -E. 
Jewett,  Miss  Agnes  J.  Richards,  Mr.  George  W. 
Richards  of  Houlton,  Horace  G.  Richards,  of  the 
firm  of  Thurlough,  Richards  and  Co.,  and  Mrs.  Al- 
ice French,  and  one  died  in  infancy.  lie  held  sev- 
eral important  offices;  was  local  land  agent  and  de- 
puty collector  of  customs.  He  was  a  successful, 
pros p e r o u s  la r m e r . 

For  more  than  a  year  before  his  decease  he  was 
a  cDaSrmyfl  invalid;  ail  at  tim:i  a  grcut  sufferer. 
Partly  to  keep  his  mind  from  his  sufferings,  he  de- 
rated much  time  to  reading;  the  Bible  and  Josephus 
were  always  at  hand,  and  at  times,  almost  lost  to  his 
surroundings,  he  would  with  interest  peruse  them. 

Almon  S.  Richards  politically  was  a  Whig,  and 
upon  the  breaking  up  of  the  Whig  party  he  be- 
came a  conscientious  and  ardent  Republican.  lie 
was  able  to  give  a  reason  for  his  political  faith,  and 
to  defend  any  position  he  took.  lie  was  a  man  of 
positive  and  decided  opinions,  an  earnest  Christian, 
a  reliable  and  trustworthy  citizen,  a  kind  neighbor 
and  a  devoted  and  loving  husband  and  father. 

REV.    BENJAMIN    D.     EASTMAN. 

In  1842  Benjamin  D.  Eastman,  of  the  East  Maine 
conference,  located  and  visited  the  Arccstook  for 

tie  purpose  of  selecting  a  location,  and  in  the  fol- 
lowing spring  moved  with  his  J\  m'l\  to  Letter  D 
plantation,  and  located  on  the-£*ate  road  ah  out  one 


* 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD,  36 1 


and  one  half  miles  this  side  of  the  west  line  of  the 
township.  Besides  his  young  family,  Jesse  S.  Av- 
erill,  Stephen  E.  Phipps  and  —  Chase  accompanied 

him. 

Mr.  Eastman   devoted  himself  to  clearing  up  a 

new  farm,  and  in  184S  associated  himself  with  Gem 
Mark  Trafton  in  building  mills  at  Limestone.  Sub- 
sequently he  disposed  of  Ins  interests  in  this  coun- 
ty and  removed  to  New  Hampshire,  where  he  died 
several  years  ago. 

(/IIS    EASTMAN, 

A  brother  of  Benjamin  D.,  came  to  this  town 
soon  after  Ids  brother,  and  proved  a  successful 
farmer,  raising  up  a  good  family  of  children. 

One  son,  George  W.  Eastman,  was  in  the  Union 
army  and  did  good  service  for  his  country.  lie 
now  resides  in  this  town,  a  worth v  and  respected 
citizen. 

STEPHEN    E.    PHIPPS 

Was  for  more  than  twenty  years  an  active  citi- 
zen, a  good  mechanic  and  industrious  farmer,  and 
succeeded  in  acquiring  some  property.  lie  bought 
the  original  Tucker  place  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ma- 
ple Grove  road,  married  Miss  Martha  Spooner, 
and  to  them  were  born  six  children.  After  sever- 
al years  he  sold  his  farm  and  bought  what  has 
since  been  known  as  the  Houghton  farm,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Aroostook  river,  and  after  the 
death  of  his  wife  sold   a  era  in   and  bought  the  mill 


362       HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 

property  at  the  lower  village.    This  he  subsequent- 
ly sold,  and  moved  to  Florida,  where  he  soon  died. 
Mr.  Chase  did  not  remain  long  enough  to  iden- 
tify himself  with  the  interests  of  this  town. 

MR.  JESSE    S.    AVERILL. 

Mr.  Jesse  S.  Averill  proved  to  be  the  represent- 
ative pioneer  of  the  party.  From  the  first  he  was 
a  steady,  reliable,  industrious  young  man.  He  soon 
became  acquainted  with,  and  subsequently  married 
Miss  Emily  Hoyt,  and  commenced  a  humble  but 
successful  pioneer  life.  To  them  were  born  ten 
children,  of  whom  eight  have  grown  to  man  and 
womanhood,  and  have  proved  an  honor  to  their 
worthy  and  influential  parents.  Three  sons  reside 
in  this  town,  and  one  daughter — Mrs.  John  Cur- 
rier— has  until  the  last  year  also  made  her  home 
here.  The  family  are  now  living  in  Staunton,  Va., 
and  are  much  missed  from  their  circle  of  friends 
in  Fort  Fairfield,  where  they,  with  the  others,  have 
been  doing  their  part  to  add  to  its  influence  and 
prosperity. 

The  hardships  and  privations  of  early  life  told 
on  this  worthy  couple,  and  yet  Mr.  Averill  lived 
to  the  good  age  of  seventy-one  years,  and  his  de- 
voted wife  some  two  years  longer,  and  died  in  June, 
1892. 

Among  the  worth)-  and  industrious,  hard  work- 
ing pioneers  of  1844,  the  name  of  Jesse  S.  Averill 
will  always  occupy  an   honorable  and  respected 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  363 

place.  Among  the  life  toilers  who  labored  hard 
and  long  to  train  up  their  active  families  for  useful- 
ness and  respectability,  and  add  to  the  wealth  and 
prosperity  of  our  town,  Jesse  S.  Averill  and  Emi- 
ly H.  Averill  will  ever  be  remembered  and  count- 
ed among  the  first. 

MR.    ADDISON    POWERS. 

Addison  Powers  was  born  in  Wilton,  Maine, 
September  15th,  1810.  In  1825  his  father  removed 
his  family  to  Carthage,  and  here  his  home  was 
made  until  his  majority.  He  married,  and  in  1839 
or  '40  removed  to  the  town  of  Fayette,  where  he 
remained  until  the  spring  of  1843,  when  he  came 
to  the  Aroostook  and  took  land  in  what  is  now  the 
Maple  Grove  settlement.  He  built  a  house  near 
the  Bryant  mills,  having  bought  an  interest  in  the 
mill  of  Mr.  Haines.  He  carried  on  the  mills  for 
two  years  and  then  sold  out  and  removed  to 
Limestone  and  worked  in  the  mill  for  Eastman 
and  Nurse  for  one  year.  While  there  he  bought  of 
Mr.  Eastman  the  land  taken  by  him  in  1842  on  the 
Presque  Isle  road  in  this  town  and  about  one  mile 
from  the  west  line.  For  nearly  forty  vears  his 
home  was  upon  this  place. 

Since  1888  he  has  made  his  home  with  his  son, 
Mr.  Roderick  Powers,  in  the  town  of  Easton. 

Among  the  early  pioneers,  Mr.  Powers  made 
many  true  and  earnest  friends,  and  was  regarded 
as  a  reliable   and    trusty    citizen.     He  has    experi- 


364  HISTORY   OF   FORT   FAIRFIELD. 

enced  a  full  share  of  the  privations  and  hardships 
which  were  the  lot  of  the  early  settlers,  and  has 
done  well  his  part  as  one  of  the  useful  and  in- 
fluential pioneers  of  this  town.  Exposure  and 
hardships  have  left  their  marks  upon  him,  and  vet 
after  passing  the  eighty-third  milestone,  he  still 
seems  good  for  year's  of  enjoyable  life. 

THE   EL.LIS  FAMILY; 

Freeman  Ellis,  senior,  was  born  in  Plymouth, 
Mass,  in  1745.  Sarah  Bradford,  daughter  of  Gid- 
eon Bradford,  Esq.,  of  Plymouth,  and  the  sixth 
generation  from  Gov.  William  Bradford  of  the 
Plymouth  Colony,  was  born  in  1748.  Freeman 
Ellis,  Esq.,  their  sixth  child,  was  born  in  Plympton, 
in  1779,  and  died  in  Fort  Fairfield,  January  13th, 
1866. 

Lydia  Fuller,  the  sixth  generation  from  Dr. 
Samuel  Fuller,  who  was  a  deacon  in  Rev.  Mr. 
Robinson's  church  in  Holland,  and  was  the  first 
physician  and  surgeon  in  New  England,  was 
born  in  Carver,  Mass.,  in  1783.  Freeman  Ellis, 
Esq.,  and  Lydia  Fuller  were  married  in  Hebron, 
Maine,  by  Elder  Tripp,  in  1800.  Freeman  Ellis, 
Jr.,  their  eldest  son,  was  married  to  Eunice  Shedd, 
in  January,  1825.  In  1842  he  visited  Fort  Fair- 
field, and  in  1844  moved  his  family  here.  lie 
was  in  the  best  sense  a  pioneer  settler. 

Two  of  his  brothers,  Isaac  F.  Ellis  and  Deacon 
Frederick  Ellis,  with  their  families,  soon  followed 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD, 


.365 


hi.ni.  Of  Deacon  Ellis'  family,  Viola  Christina 
Maud,  in  1870  was  married  to  Hubbard  C.  Rich- 
ardson, Lizzie  M.  was  married  to  Solon  Ames, 
and  both  with  their  families  arc  residents  of  Fort 
Fairfield. 

Capt  Oseo  A.  Ellis,  the  eldest  son  of  Isaac  F. 
and  Ruth  Ellis,  was  born  in  Weld,  Maine,  in  De- 
cember, 1831;  lie  had  prepared  himself  for  the 
law,  and  had  been  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  was  in 
Active  practice  when  the  war  broke  out.  lie  was 
appointed  lieutenant  in  company  E,  1st  Maine 
cavalry;  lie  was  a  popular  and  successful  officer, 
always  ready  for  duty,  and  fearless  in  the  discharge 
of  duty.  On  the  24th  of  June,  1864,  at  St.  Mary's 
Church,  he  surrendered  his  commission  and  his 
life. 

Like  the  true  soldier  he  was.  he  ended  his  days 
upon  the  battlefield,  and  received  a  soldiers  burial 
otic  mile  west  of  Charles  City  Court  House,  near 
Wilcox  Landing,  James  Run,  Va. 

Captain  Ellis  was  a  worthy  descendant  of  a 
Puritan  ancestry.  lie  gave  his  life  in  defence  of 
that  civilization  thevsousfht  in  Holland,  but  failed 
t  )  find,  and  subsequently  established  upon  the  bleak 
and  dreary  cold  New  England  shore — a  civil- 
ization that  calls  no  man  lord  and  master,  and  de- 
grades no  human  being  to  servitude  and  slavery. 

His  career  was  short,  his  work  is  done,  and  well 
donei    and    \'u.au<:\     (Tiling  an    unknown   soldier's 


$66  HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIRFIELD. 

grave,  he  lives  in  a  bright,  brilliant  and  imperish- 
able   history  of  heroic  devotion  and  noble  deeds. 

CALEB    II.    ELLIS, 

The  eldest  son  of  Freeman  Ellis,  Jr.,  and  Euniee 
Ellis,  and  the  author  of  this  history,  was  born  in 
Weld,  Me.,  November  18th,  1825.  His  school  ad- 
vantages were  good.  In  1843  he  left  school  to  ac- 
company his  father  to  the  Aroostook. 

Now  a  new  experience,  and  all  the  hardships 
and  privations  incident  to  a  pioneer  life,  opened  up 
before  him.  For  eleven  }ears  his  school  was  the 
lumber  woods,  driving  the  lumber  down  the  rivers 
and  clearing  new  lands. 

In  1854  he  received  his  first  appointment  from 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  as  preacher  in 
charge  of  the  Weston  and  Topsfield  charge.  At 
the  end  of  two  years  he  was  appointed  to  Wesley, 
Crawford  and  Northfleld  and  in  1857  to  Franklin 
and  Sullivan,  and  in  i860  to  East  Machias.  In 
1861  he  was  elected  chaplain  of  the  nth  Maine 
regiment. 

In  1864  he  was  appointed  captain  of  Co.  E,  31st 
Maine  regiment,  and  on  June  7th,  1864,  was  wound- 
ed; on  October  7th  of  the  same  year  he  was  dis- 
charged from  the  service  for  total  disability  on  ac- 
count of  his  wound.  In  June,  1867,  he  had  so  far 
recovered  as  to  be  able  to  visit  Michigan,  and  in 
September  of  that  year  joined  the  Michigan  annu- 
al conference,  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  367 

i. . 

wis  appointed  to  the  Pentwater  station  in  that  con- 
ference.  For  nearly  ten  years  he  was  able  to  do 
the  work  of  an  itinerant  Methodist  minister,  but  a 
constant  sufferer  from  the  effects  of  his  injury  in 
the  army.  In  1757  he  was  compelled  to  ask  for  a 
supernumary  relation,  and  seek  a  different  climate. 
A  year  in  Texas  and  absolute  rest  made  some  im- 
provement. Then  there  was  a  return  to  Michigan, 
and  in  1S82  he  removed  to  Dakota  Territory,  where 
his  wife  died,  and  a  second  marriage,  to  Mrs.  Fran- 
ces E.  Richards,  was  contracted.  While  in  South 
Dakota,  he  was  actively  engaged  in  land  and  loan 
business,  locating  settlers  upon  the  publi-;  kinds, 
proving  them  up  at  the  United  States  land  office  and 
prosecuting  certain  land  cases  before  that  office. 
In  1889  he  removed  to  Washington,  IX  C,  and  re- 
ceived an  appointment  in  the  51st  congress;  in  1891 
he  removed  to  Cliftondale,  Mass.,  and  in  May,  1892, 
to  Fort  Fairfield;  and  in  July  of  that  year  he  com- 
menced the  publication  of  the  Northern  Leader. 
This  was  looked  upon  iis  a  very  unpromising  field 
for  newspaper  enterprise.  It  had  thrice  been  en- 
tered, only  to  be  abandoned  alter  a  short  and  fruit- 
less struggle.  It  is  possible  because  it  was  hard, 
he  decided  to  give  it  a  trial,  for  he  has  always 
found  the  greatest  satisfaction  iu  succeeding  where 
others  fail.  From  his  first  marriage,  to  Miss  Lydia 
E.  Haines,  which  occurred  in  1849,  were  born  seven 
children,  three  of  whom  are  now  living, — Arthur 
W.  Ellis,  a  farmer  in  Ellisville,  South  Dakota,  Olin 
II.  Ellis,  a  railroad  engineer,  Chicago,  Illinois,  and 
Mrs.  Mellie  Kipp,  Fort  Fairfield.  After  removing 
to  Dakota,  he  gave  considerable  attention  to  politics, 
and  on  the  questions  \yhich  divide  the  two  great  par- 


3* 


HISTORY    OF    FCRT    FAIRFIELD. 


an  ardent 


ties,  he  is  well  posted.  Early  in  life  he  v 
Whig,  and  through  the  war  an  earnest  Republican, 
and  to  this  part}-  still  ewes  allegiance,  and  is  always 
ready  to  discuss  the  principles  which  have  given  it 
the  strong  hold  it  has  upon  the  American  people;  he 
is  a  ready,  logical  and  earnest  public  speaker,  and  in 
the  west  has  done  good  and  successful  campaign 
work;  and  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine,  with  partiaj  pa- 
ralysis of  the  left  side,  and  a  constant  sufferer  from 
the  effects  of  his  wound,  he  performs  as  much  intel- 
lectual labor  as  most  men  in  the  prime  of  life. 

MR.    ALBION    P.    Wi  LLINGTON. 

Albion  P.  Wellington,  son  of  General  /Welling- 
ton p.f  Monticello,  was  born  in  Albion,  Kennebec 
county.  Maine,  August  26th,  181 7,  and  was  married 
to  Miss  Myra  (J.  Foster  ofCcc  per,  Maine,  June  4th, 
1850.  Mr.  Wellington  remeved  to  Fort  Fairfield 
.in  1.85 2,  and  was  employed  by  Col.  McClusky  in 
his. store  until  the  breaking  cut  of  the  war.  Since 
,1802. Mr.  Wellington  has  been  engaged  in  trace  and 
scaling  lumber;  he  was  for  several  years  one  cf  the 
-s  el  e  qt  m  e  n  Of  th  i  s  U  >  w  n . .  I J  n  d  e  r  t  h  e  1 >  u  c  h  a  n  a  n  a  d  - 
ministration  lie  was  "eusto-m  house  officer  at  this 
place.  lie  is  an  influential  and  reliable  citizen;  he 
has  been  a  lifelong  Democrat,  and  has  done  his  par- 
tv  irood  service. 


FA  FOR  EST  Y.   TOWLE 

Left  his   home  and   commenced  for  himself  en 

State  land,  when  eighteen  years  old,  where  he  how 
lives.  In  1862  he  enlisted' in  the  army,  in  the  zid 
Maine.  lie  was  through  the  thirty  days  seige  at 
Port  II  ii  d  son.      1 1  i  s  enlist  m  e  n  t  w a s  f  o  r  n  i  n  e  m  c  n  ths, 

bat   he  served    eleven,  and  then  Was  drafted    near 


HISTORY    OF    KOlIT    FAIRFIIvJ.D.    .     ...       369 


the  close  of  the  war.  In  i865  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Mar/  E.  Estes.  To  them  were  born  four 
children:  one  deceased,  two  at  home,  and  Mrs. 
Clara  Parsons  of  Easton.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Towle 
have  long  been  members  of  the  Free  JJaptist 
Church.  For  many  years  Mr.  Towle  was  clerk, 
and  now  deacon,  and  clerk  of  the  quarterly  meet- 
ing; has  held  town  offices,  is  a  successful  farmer, 
an  influential  citizen  and  a  prominent  member  of 
society*. 

fAMES    R.    THURl.OUGH 

dm  2  to  th 2  Aroostook  in  i8oH,  audio qate;]  where 

he  now  lives,  in  his  beautiful  home  in  Maple 
Grove.  In  1868  he  married  Miss  Olive. -Marshall. 
Thev  have  one  daughter.  Me  is  a  successful,  en- 
terprising farmer;  some  years  ago  hard  work  be- 
gan to  tell  upon  him,  and  he  consented  to  accept 
the  Republican  nomination  for  county  commission- 
er. He  is  now  serving  on  that  board  in  a  very 
acceptable  m inner,  lie  holds  a  very  prominent 
place  among  our  reliable  and  influential  citizens. 
The  coming  of  the  Thurlough  family  to  Fort  Fair- 
field in  1868  and  '70,  was  a  most  Val liable  accession 
to  the  population,  ret  only  in  these  who  were  then 
upon  the  stage  of  action,  but  in  those  who  have 
since  come  to  be  among  our  most  active  and  pro- 
gressive business  men. 

UODERICK    POWERS 

At  the  age  of  four  years  came  to  this  town  with 
his  parents.  At  his  majority  he  went  to  Presquc 
Isle  to  work,  and  in  1862,  enlisted  in  the  1 6th  Me. 
regiment  Cor  three  years.  I  Ie  was  twice  wounded. 
Upon  being  mustered  out  of  service  he  returned 
to  this  town.      In   1867  he  married  Miss   Elizabeth 


37°  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 


Hodgdon  ofNew  Hampshire,  and  settled  in  Eastern, 
Maine,  where  he  lias  since  resided,  and  made  a 
most  excellent  farm.  To  them  have  been  horn 
four  children.  He  holds  his  deed  from  the  State. 
He  is  a  member  of  Kilpatrick  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  and 
of  Frontier  Lodge,  F.  and  A.  M. 

WILLIAM     HOUGHTON 

Was  born  in  Anson,  Maine,  1828.  In  1853  he 
married  Miss  Dorcas  Ciitts,  and  in  1871  moved 
to  this  town.  Their  family  consists  of  a  daughter, 
who  is  married  and  lives  in  California,  Edward 
L.,  real  estate  agent  in  this  village,  Emmons  W., 
a  prosperous  farmer  in  this  town,  A.I).  Houghton, 
in  Atlanta,  Ga.,  and  George  C,  at  L.  K.  Gary  and 
Co's.  Mr.  Houghton  is  a  successful  farmer,  a  re- 
liable and  trustworthy  citizen,  a  member  of  the 
Congregational  Church.  In  politics  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican, and  takes  an  interest  in  all  matters  of  public 
interest, 

WILLIS    E.    PARSONS. 

Willis  E.  Parsons,  third  son  of  Levi  Parsons  and 
Lydia  Ellis  Parsons,  was  born  in  Sangerville,  Me., 
May  1 6th,  1853. 

When  he  was  six  years  old  his  parents  moved 
from  Sangerville  into  the  new  country  of  Aroos- 
took, settling  in  Port  Fairfield.  A  few  years  later 
his  father  took  up  a  farm  in  the  adjoining  township, 
Fremont  plantation,  now  the  prosperous  town  of 
Easton.  Here  upon  the  farm  Willis  E.  grew  to 
young  manhood,  early  developing  a  taste  for  work 
as  well  as  play,  and  an  interest  in  whatever  he 
found  to  do,  which  has  thus  far  characterized  him 
through  life.  His  advancement  in  school  was  rap- 
id, mastering  the  common  school  arithmetic  when 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  37 1 

only  eleven  years  of  age,  with  like  progress  in 
other  branches.  Leaving  the  common  schools,  he 
attended  the  high  school  at  Fort  Fairfield;  the  ac- 
ademy of  Houlton,  now  Ricker  Classical  Institute, 
and  the  city  academy  at  Burlington,  Vermont;  also 
taking  a  four  years'  university  course  in  English. 

Mr.  Parsons'  lather  being  a  first-class  carpenter 
as  well  as  a  farmer,  the  young  man  soon  developed 
into  a  good  mechanic,  and  taking  an  interest  in  that 
as  in  everything  else,  when  not  teaching  or  attend- 
ing school  was  at  work  at  his  trade;  first  in  Houl- 
ton, then  in  Boston  and  other  large  cities;  he  made 
a  study  of  his  business,  applying  his  knowledge  in 
a  practical  way  to  his  work,  and  by  a  studv  of 
architecture  soon  became  master  of  the  situation, 
and  at  eighteen  years  of  age  had  charge  of  work  in 
Boston  and  its  neighboring  towns.  It  was  when  in 
Waterville,  Me.,  that  he  won  the  reputation  of  be- 
ing "as  good  a  mechanic  as  stood  on  the  banks  of 
the  Kennebec."  Going  upon  the  ground  that  all 
honest  employment  is  honorable,  he  threw  his  en- 
ergy into  his  work,  and  is  still  proud  of  the 
fact  that  when  a  boy  he  learned  a  trade,  the 
best  possible  capital  for  a  young  man  who  must  re- 
ly upon  his  own  resources  to  start  in  life.  His  svm- 
pathies  are  always  with  the  laboring  classes.  Pos- 
sessing a  laudable  ambition,  a  great  reader  as  well 
as  a  close  student,  in  looking  for  a  higher  field  he 
naturally  turned  to  one  of  the  professions,  and  while 
still  in  charge  of  a  crew  of  mechanics  began  read- 
ing Blackstone  and  Kent.  lie  early  developed  or- 
atorical powers,  and  when  in  Burlington  academy, 
at  graduating  exercises,  the  Burlington  Sentinel 
said;  "'Motives  to  Studv/  an  oration  by  Willis  E. 


372  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

Parsons,  was  one  of  the  very  best  efforts  ol  the  oc- 
casion; in  fact,  we  have  never  witnessed  a  more 
commendable  effort  on  the  part  of  a  student  so 
young.  That  Mr.  Parsons  possesses  an  active, 
sound  reasoning  and  finely  balanced  brain,  togeth- 
er with  much  more  than  ordinary  elocutionary 
powers,  was  clearly  evident,  to  everyone  present. 
I  lis  oration  would  have  reflected  credit  upon  a  col- 
lege graduate.  He  measured  and  modulated  his 
sentences  like  a  veteran  orator,  and  fully  deserved 
the  storm  ol"  applause  bestowed  upon  him." 

Having  a  taste  for  public  speaking,  while  his 
companions  were  engaged  in  other  amusements,  he 
was  at  the  lecture  room,  listening  to  a  Y\  endell 
Phillips,  a  Beecher,  or  some  of  our  own  speakers 
equally  capable,  perhaps,  of  swaying  the  multitude. 
In  the  summer  of  i S 7 7 ,  hearing  that  almost  match- 
less orator,  Hon.  A.  G.  Lebroke  of  Foxcroit,  since 
deceased,  he  became  deeply  interested  in  his  won- 
derful command  of  language  and  splendid  oratory, 
and  leaving  Waterville,  where  he  was  then  reading 
law,  entered  the  office  of  Mr.  Lebroke  as  a  student 
in  the  fall  of  that  year.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
Piscataquis  bar,  September  term,  1878,  and  soon 
after  formed  a  co-partnership  with  Mr.  Lebroke, 
which  continued  as  the  law  firm  of  Lebroke  and 
Parsons  for  many  years,  or  until  Mr.  Parsons  was 
elected  State  attorncv  for  the  county*  of  Piscata- 
quis, when  the  firm  was  dissolved.  Mr.  Parsons 
then  erected  one  of  the  finest  law  offices  in  the 
State,  nearly  opposite  on  the  same  street.  Here  he 
may  be  Found  at  at  any  time  busy  at  work,  and  as 
a  leading  member  of  the  Piscataquis  bar,  engaged 
in  a  targe   and  lucrative  practice,  from  which  he 


HISTORY    O"    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  373 


has  already  acquired  a  comfortable  competence. 
He  has  occupied  many  positions  of  public  trust, 
and  been  continually  in  town  office  since  he  began 

the  practice  of  law,  and  no  man  works  harder  for 
the  development  of  his  own  town  and  county  than 
he.  1  [e  is  one  of  the  young  men  who  believe  in 
tie  feature  of  Maine.  Although  with  his  busy  life 
he  finds  little  time  for  the  old  pleasure  of  shaping 
architectural  lines  of  symmetry,  some  of  the  iinest 
residences  in  Piscataquis  county  have  been  remod- 
eled or  built  new  under  plans  furnished  for  person- 
al friends  by  Mr.  Parsons.  As  late  as  1S92,  the 
Congregational  Church  of  Foxcroft  and  Dover  ex- 
pendeda  large  sum  of  money,  making  their  church 
compare  favorably  with  the  iinest  in  the  State,  under 
his  plans  and  designs  as  chairman  of  the  eommitee. 
Interested  in  educational  matters,  he  has  been  fre- 
quently called  upon  to  deliver  addresses  upon  edu- 
cational topics,  and  has  found  time  until  late  years 
to  serve  upon  the  school  board  of  his  town,  and  is 
now  connected  with  that  time  honored  institution, 
Foxcroft  academy,  as  secretary  and  treasurer. 

Mr.  Parsons  was  unanimously  nominated  for 
county  attorney,  and  elected  by  a  large  majority,  in 
the  summer  of  i884,serving  in  i885-6-7-8«*j'and,90, 
receiving  each  re-nomination  by  acclimation,  and 
running  ahead  of  his  ticket.  I  le  showed  great  abil- 
ity as  a  criminal  lawyer,  and  conducted  the  business 
ol  the  State  with  a  firm  and  steady  hand.  The  laws 
were  well  enforced,  and  he  retired  from  the  office 
after  a  long  service  without  having  a  single  paper 
that  he  had  drawn  quashed.  Since  that  time  he 
has  been  the  energetic  member  from  Piscataqi  is 
if  the  Republican  State  committee.      He  has  been 


o 


374 


HISTORY  OF  FORT  FAIR  FIELD. 


on  the  stump  as  a  campaign  orator  in  every  cam- 
paign since  1880.  early  being  quoted  by  the  press 
as  one  of  the  most  eloquent  men  in  Maine.  He 
is  not  an  office  seeker,  and  is  averse  to  political 
trickery  and  the  methods  of  the  demagogue;  he 
is  an  earnest  Republican,  a  determined  champion 
of  what  he  believes  to  be  right,  and  to  his  friends. 
ljyal  to  the  core.  Socially  and  in  business  matters 
his  warm  friends  are  found  in  all  political  parties, 
1 1  1892,  after  the  close  of  a  sharp  political  contest 
i.i  this  county,  the  Piscataquis  Observer  said,  uNo 
man  in  this  State  has  worked  harder,  or  deserves 
more  credit,  than  Hon.  \V.  E.  Parsons  of  Foxcroft, 
number  of  the  State  committee,  in  this  county;  he 
has  worked  early  anal  late,  and  has  tilled  the  places 
o.f  several  speakers  who  have  been  absent,  and  no 
m  in  has  made  better  or  more  convincing  speeches. 
"Mr*  Parsons  has  been  actively  engaged  in  Piscat- 
a  juis  county  politics  for  the  past  twelve  years,  is  a 
t  lorough-going  Republican,  and  like  the  sincere, 
h  xnorable  man  that  he  is,  always  works  faithfully 
aid  unselfishly  for  the  good  of  his  party  and  the 
advancement  of  those  great  principles  of  national 
import  in  which  he  earnestly  believes,  an  able  ora- 
t  )r  and  sound  logician.  On  the  stump  before  the 
people  he  makes  strong  and  convincing  arguments 
in  behalf  of  American  industries,  the  elevation  and 
continued  prosperity  of  American  labor,  and  in 
supper:  and  defence  of  the  progressive  policy  of 
the  Republican  part}*.  In  this  campaign  he  has 
proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  popular  speakers  in 
the  State,  as  well  as  an  effective  organizer.  Though 
a  strong  partisan,  Mr.  Parsons  never  takes  politics 
into  his  business  or  social  relations,  and  has  in  his 


HISTORY    OF    FORT  FAIRFIELD.  375 

large  clientage  many  persons  opposed  to  him  in 
politics.  In  all  the  party  organizations  he  counts 
warm  personal  friends,  whose  confidence  he  en- 
joys to  the  fullest  extent," 

His  temperance  principles  are  proilounceJ  and 
sincere,  never  having  drank  a  glass  of  intoxicating 
liquor  in  his  lite;  his  religious  preferences  are  Con- 
gregational, and  he  has  been  a  member  of  that 
church  in.Foxcroft  for  many  years,  joining  on  a 
letter  from  the  Methodist  denomination  in  Iloulton, 
where  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  was  ex- 
tended to  him,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  by  Rev. 
II.  W.  Bolton.  He  is  a  prominent  Odd  Fellow 
and  a  Mason,  and  has  frequently  been  called  upon 
to  deliver  addresses  at  the  gatherings  of  these  or- 
ders in  different  parts  of  the  State.  On  the  23d  of 
October,  i860,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Agnes, 
the  accomplished  daughter  of  R.  I).  Oilman,  Esq., 
of  Foxcroft,  the  union  being  a  most  happy  one. 

We  give  a  cut  of  their  elegant  residence,  situa- 
ted in  a  delightful  quarter  of  that  beautiful  town, 
where  they  socially  enjoy  their  friends,  and  the 
quiet  felicity  of  a  happy  home. 

•rajs  RD/XiNS  Family. 

Ephraim  Rollins  was  born  in  Sharon,  in 
1S00,  and  in  1820  married  Lydia  Ellis  of  Weld. 
To  them  were  born  eight  children,  four  of  whom 
are  now  living.  Mr.  Rollins  moved  to  the  Aroos- 
took in  1S55  and  settled  in  Easton.  In  1864  his 
wife  died;  subsequently  he  married  Mrs.  Susan 
Ellis,  widow  of  the  late  Isaac  F.  Ellis,  and  resided 
in  Maple  Grove  until  his  death  1111886.  His  old- 
est son.  Axel  Issachar  Rollins,  was  born  hi  182 1, 
aid  in  1843  married  Lovinia  Dollev  of  Weld.  In 
1854  he  removed  to  Fort  Fairfield  and  bought  the 
Hunt  place,  twq    m^cs   from    this  village   on  tha 


37 


HISTORY    Or    FORT    FAIRFIELD- 


Prcsquc  Isle  road.  Of  his  large  family,  Wallace 
Rollins  is  on  the  ('arm  where  he  first  settled  with 
his  lather;  Charles  A.  is  a  blacksmith  in  this  vil- 
lage and  Mrs.  Angelia  Rich,  Mrs.  Florence  E. 
Foss  and  Mrs.  Laura  E.  Guild  are  residents  of 
this  town. 

A  few  years  ago  there  came  a  great  affliction  to 
Mr.  Rollins  in  the  death  of  the  companion  of  his 
early  manhood  and  mother  of  his  children,  f  fe  is 
still  upon  the  land  where  he  located  in  1855,  and 
Out  of  which  he  has  made  a  delightful,  pleasant 
home.  Bradford  Rollins,  his  next  youngest 
brother,  also  came  to  this  town  and  located  in 
Maple  Grove,  where  he  died  several  years  ago. 
Of  his  family,  Mr.  Frederick  Rollins,  with  his 
family, resides,  in  this  village. 

FLANNERY. 
Thomas  Flanncry  came  to  the  Aroostook  in  his 
boyhood,  before  the  Aroostook  war;  lie  was  a 
member  of  J.  W.  White's  family,  his  mother  by  a 
second  marriage  having  taken  that  name.  In  his 
early  manhood  he  married  into  the  Lovely  family, 
and  to  them  were  born  nine  children — three  ^:or.s 
and  six.  daughters.  Isaac,  William,  and  Daniel 
Flanncry  are  citizens  of  Fort  Fairfield,  and  three 
of  the  daughters  have  married  husbands  who  are 
citizens  of  this  tenvn. 

DENOXI    r.    DURGIN 

vVasborn  in  Vermont  .in  1825;  he.  was  a  captain 

in  the  old  6th  Massachusetts,  General  Butler's 
f. iyor.it;;  rojimj.it.  II 2  wr;  mirrie.l  in  1SI5,  a  if 
since  i860  has  resided  in  Aroostook  county.  He 
is  a  painter  and  paper  hanger  by  trade,  he  is  a 
member  of  Eastern  Frontier  masonic  lodge,  ci* 
which  he  has  been  mastjr.  He  is  a  quiet,  unob- 
trusive man,  a  good  citizen  and  a  loyal  friend. 


HISTORY    OP    FOllT    FAIRFIELD.  377 

JOSEPH   NICHOLS. 

Joseph  Nichols,  born  in  South  Berwick  in  1S28, 
was  married  in  1858,  and  in  i860  removed  to  Fort 
Fairfield.  He  now  resides  in  Easton;  lie  is  a  re- 
liable member  of  the  society  of  Friends.  In 
politics  he  is  Republican,  and  has  for  years  been  a 
correspondent  for  the  local  newspapers. 
1 1  OX.    WASHINGTON    LONG 

Was  born  in  Buckfield,  in  Oxford  county  in  this 
State,  April  6,  181 1,  and  until  he  was  thirty  years 
of  age  Buckfield  was  his  home.  As  a  boy,  he  lived 
with  an  older  brother,  Zadoc,  the  lather  of  lion. 
John  D.  Long,  who  served  Massachusetts  so  ac- 
ceptably as  governor.  After  attaining  his  majority 
he  was  engaged  in  business  in  Buckfield,  and  there- 
in acquired  many  friends,  and  gained  great  esteem 
as  an  honest  and  conscientious  business  man.  He 
came  to  Fort  Fairfield  about  1850,  and  thereafter 
Fort  Fairfield  was  his  home  until  hi:',  death,  except 
the  period  of  eight  years  spent  at  Eastport  as  col- 
lector of  customs  of  the  Passamaquoddy  customs 
district.  For  many  years  he  was  engaged  in  gen- 
eral business  in  this  town  and  vicinity,  and  also  in 
lumbering,  having  formed  a  co-partnership  with 
the  late  Hon.  Jesse  Drew,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Long  and  Drew.  He  served  in  the  executive  coun- 
cil of  Gov.  Lot  Morrill,  with  credit  to  himself  and 
Ins  district.  Later  Mr.  Long  for  one  session  rep- 
resented the  Fort  Fairfield  class  in  the  State  legis- 
lature. In  religious  belief  a  Congregationalism  he 
was  always  true  to  his  denominational  creed,  and 
a  liberal  supporter  of  his  church.  Mr.  Long  spent 
the  latest  days  of  his  life  here  in  the  erection  of  a 
hall,  which  is  to  this  day  a  memorial  of  his  regard 
for  the  town,  which  for  so  many  years  was  proud 
to  claim  him  as  one  of  its  foremost  citizens. 


37<S  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

JOHN    DORSEY, 

Who  located  near  where  the  Canadian  Pacific 
railway  station  now  stands,  was  among  the  very  first 
to  settle  on  the  Aroostook  river.  Of  his  immediate 
descendants,  William  and  Miles  Dorsey  of  this  town 
arc  now  living;  his  eldest  son,  Edward,  was  the  first 
child  born  on  this  river;  two  of  his  sons — Miles  F. 
and  Edward  Dorsey — arc  among  the  active,  prosper- 
ous business  men  of  our  village.  All  of  the  large 
number  of  this  name,  identified  with  the  business  in- 
terests of  this  town,  were  of  this  family. 

CHARLES    R.    PAIL 

Came  to  Fort  Fairfield  in  iS44,and  for  many  years 
worked  at  the  blacksmith  trade.  Mr.  Paul  is  a  con- 
scientious and  devoted  Democrat,  and  quite  active 
for  a  man  of  his  years. 

Mrs!  Agnes  C.  Paul  is  a  most  devoted  Republican. 
She  has  been  a  very  active  temperance  worker.  She 
has  held  man}'  important  public  trusts;  in  1849  was 
appointed  assistant  postmaster  and  given  sole  charge 
of  the  office.  In  1877  she  was  appointed  postmaster, 
and  hefd  the  office  for  nine  years.  She  is  correspon- 
dent for  the  New  England  press  association, president 
of  the  State  non-partisan  W.  C.  T.  U.,and  was  appoint- 
ee] by  Gov.  Burleigh  as  one  ofthe board  of  world's  fair 
managers. 

JOSEPH   FINDLAXI) 

Was  born  in  this  town  in  1852.  His  father,  Pat- 
rick Findland,  came  to  the  Aroostook  at  an  early 
day.  Joseph  was  married  in  1877,  and  in  1881  his 
wife  died,  leaving  two  children.  One  }  ear  later 
there  was  a  second  marriage.  There  are  seven 
children.  The  eldest  two,  a  son  and  daughter,  are 
attending  the  advanced  school  in  this  village.  Mr. 
Findland  lives  upon  his  farm  four  miles  west  of 
the  village.     lie  is  a  successful  farmer,  a   reliable 


HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD.  379 


influential,  and  much  respected  citizen  of  t!  e  tewn. 

SAMUEL  \v.  CRAM 

Was  born  in  East  Livcrmore.  in  1826,  and  was 
married  to  Emm  R,  McLaughlin  in  1858,  and 
in  1859  came  to  this  town,  and  took  the  land  up- 
on which  he  now  lives.  To  them  were  born  ten 
children,  nine  of  whom  are  now  living.  Four,  two 
sons  and  two  daughters,  make  up  his  family,  his 
wife  having  died  fifteen  years  ago.  With  the  as- 
sistance of  his  daughter,  he  has  kept  the  family  to- 
gether. One  son  is  in  the  west,  and  the  other  one 
in  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Cram  is  a  successful  and 
prosperous  farmer,  and  has  made  a  most  delightful 
home. 

JOSEPH    A  CONANT 
Was  born  in  1830,  and  came  to  the  Aroostook  in 
1845,  with  his  father,  Col.  Isaac  Conant,  being  then 

fifteen  years  old.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  com- 
menced for  himself,  and  married  Miss  Julia  John- 
ston. To  them  were  born  eleven  children.  In 
September,  1S62,  he  enlisted  in  the  zzd  Maine  regi- 
ment, and  served  to  the  end  of  his  term  of  enlist- 
ment. Since  then  he  has  resided  on  the  farm  where 
his  father  first  located.  In  1878  his  wife  died,  and 
soon  after,  to  keep  his  family  together,  lie  decided 
to  enter  into  a  second  marriage.  rl  hree  sons  and 
two  daughters  now  reside  in  this  town.  Mr,  Con- 
ant has  one  of  the  fine  farms  that  may  be  found  in 
Fort  Fairfield.  He  has  made  a  most  delightful 
home, and  in  every  way  has  made  a  success  in  life. 
He  is  one  of  our  independent  and  prosperous  farm- 
ers. A  fine  likei/ess  of  him  may  be  found  in  this 
volume. 


380  HISTORY    OF    FORT    FAIRFIELD. 

GEOIIGE     W.    HILTON 

Was  born  in  Exeter,   in    1833.     He    was   in   the 

war  of  the  Rebellion,  and  after  its  close  came 
to  Fort  Fairfield,  and  has  since  resided  in  the  west 
and  in  Massachusetts.  He  is  now  living  with  his 
third  wife.  lie  is  now  engaged  in  carriage  paint- 
ing, and  has  one  of  the  largest  and  best  arranged 
painting  establishments  in  Northern  Aroostook, 
After  nine  years  in  the  west,  with  three  years  1:1 
Massachusetts,  and  a  trial  of  Washington,  I).  C, 
and  other  places,  his  iirst  choice  is  the  Aroostook 
vallev. 

MR.   LUTHER  K.    CAIJY 

Was  born  in  Turner  in  1838,  and  in  1859  was 
married  to  Miss  Ellen  Bradford,  the  eighth 
generation  from  Gov.  Bradford  of  the  Plymouth 
Colon}*.  He  was  a  faithful  soldier  in  the  Union 
armv.  Their  family  consist  of  four  children, 
Edward  K.  Cary,  Mrs.  E.  L,  Houghton,  Mrs.  W. 
S.  Davidson  and  Lela  A.  Cary. 

Mr.  Cary  is  a  successful  business  man  and  a  good 
citizen.  I  lis  wife  is  a  talented  woman,  an 
influential  temperance  worker  and  a  member  of  the 
Congregational  Church. 

DEA.    DANIEL    FOSTER 

Was  born  in  Montville,  Me.,  in  1802.  At  the 
age  of  twentv-hve  he  married  Miss  Sarah  Ilusscy. 
They  were  earnest  and  devoted  members  of  the 
Calvinist  Baptist  Church.  To  them  were  born  elev- 
en children,  four  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  With 
his  family  Dea.  Foster  took  up  his  residence  in  Ft. 
Fairfield  in  May,  i860.  lie  was  an  active  business 
man,  interested  in  political  affairs,  held  several 
town  officies,  was  deputy  sheriff,  and  deputy  col- 
lector of  customs.  lie  was  an  influential  member 
of  society,  a  consistent  member  and  deacon  of  the 


HISTORY    OF    FOKT    FAIRFIELD. 


.IS! 


Calvinist  Baptist  Church.  Up  to  the  time  of  his 
death  his  influence  in  church  and  society  vyas  a 
power  for  good,  and  his  decease  was  in  the  fam- 
ily and  community  deeply  regretted.  Of  this  large 
and  influential  family  two  only  are  identified  with 
Fort  Fairfield  interests:  II.  L.  Foster,  who  in 
1 85.1  married  Miss  Zipra  Bishop,  and  now  resides 
near  the  mill  that  he  built  in  company  with  his  fa- 
ther, in  the  southeast  part  of  the  town,  and  Mrs.  ]. 
B.  Robbins,  who  is  one  of  the  active  Christian 
workers  of  the  present  day. 

].    B.    liOBUINS 

Was  born  in  Hope,  Maine,  in  1830.  At  the  age 
of  twenty -five  he  married  Harriet  L.  Walker 
of  East  Union.  To  them  were  born  two  chil- 
dren, who  died  in  childhood.  In  September,  1861, 
he  moved  to  tin's  town  ;  in.  two  and  one  half  months 
his  wiib  died.  In  March,  1863,  a  second  marriage 
was  entered  into,  with  Lizzie  S.  Fester;  to 
them  were  born  four  daughters;  two  died  in  child- 
hood; Myrtle  G.' married  Bertram  Ames,  and  Alice 
Pearle  is  now  enjoying  the  advantages  of  our  ex- 
cellent school  system  Mr.  Robbins  was  one  of  the 
charter  members  of  Eastern  Frontier  masonic  lodge, 
being  senior  warden  two  years  and  master  one  year. 
He  was  an  interested  and  active  member  until  his 
impaired  hearing  deprived  him  of  the  advantages 
of  the  lodge. 

GEORGE    i:.   CALDWKLL. 

George  E  Caldwell  was  born  in  Oxford  county 
in  iSj).  He  was  a  number  of  Co.  E.  I2t,h  Maine 
re  jia12.1t  a  id  serve.l  from  iSut)  [86j.  II?  was 
at  Xew  Orleans,  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley  ^vd 
1  efore  Petersburg,  lie  was  f<  rtunate  in  escaping 
biiag  wjunded  and  prison  life,  but  came  home 
wl-h  the  sce.ls  of  disease  that  has  afflicted  him  and 


HISTORY  O?  FORT  FAIRFIELD, 


fro  :h  he  i  ;   now    totally    disallcd.      [n 

1  Mis?   Mellij   MeBride,  and  in   1^87  re- 

I  t  >  For1:   Fairfield.     His  family  consists  of  a 

wi;e  and  one  daughter.       I  lis  heme    is   on  a  small 

f.i '  n  :i  Ij  >ining  the  village  incorporate  >n. 


corporati  >n 

CAPT.   AZIAL     W.   I 'IT  MAN. 


CAPT.   AZIAL     W.   PITMAN. 

Capt.  Putman  comes  of   the   old    Revolutionary 
.   and  is  true  to  his  ancestry,     lie   was  borne 

in  1 1 o 11  1  to n. 


ofnee  lor  tourtecn  years.  He  was  elected  i  rci  If 
in  1S7S  and  under  Cleveland's  Crst  acministraticn 
he  was  deputy  collector  of  customs.  lie  is  an 
earnest,  public  spirited  man,  Or.religiovs  subjects 
a  liberalist  and  president  of  Foi.t  Fairfield  liberal 
league.     A  fine  like  1  f  Mr.   Faker  appears    in 

this  hist  >ry. 

There  is  a  long  list  of  honored  names,  among 
thorn  Cammings,  Siocomb,  Osborne, Collins,  Bishop, 
Sterling,  Richardson,  Gordon,  Spooner,  Orcutt  and 
Fisher,  who  should  have  boon  noticod,  but  tho  limit 
of  this  book  allows  but  this  brief  mention. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

RENEWALS  ONLY—TEL.  NO.  642-3405 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 

Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


NO^g  8  TQg3  g 


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Berkeley 


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